Stand
by blackamber41
Summary: Sequel to We Will Fall Together and Move Along. Summary inside
1. Arrival in Tokyo

blackamber- I'M BACK!!!

Thea- So soon! Wow...

Dimitri- HEY! We're the main characters!! SICK!!

Keith- I'm in this too! I bet you all forgot about me XD

Jayden- Why am I surrounded by such idiots...

blackamber- At least that wasn't directed at me :D

Jayden- You're the biggest idiot of them all

blackamber- T.T You're as mean as Kai...

Thea- usual disclaimer from We Will Fall Together and Move Along

Dimitri- Oh! And blackamber got the names for Kai's and Tyson's kids from the last chapter of the manga.

* * *

Summary- Eight years have passed since the kidnapping and now it's Thea's and Dimitri's turn to enter the world Beyblading tournament in the BBA's new team. After a rough meeting between them and their two new team-mates, Jayden and Keith, the twins have to learn to work together to survive the tournament. But wait, there's one more addition to the team? Enter Aya Iwasaki, the teams tech expert. Things don't seem to be going so smoothly when Thea and Jayden are pinned together for tag-team battles, especially when Jayden refuses to work with her first under the assumption that she only made it onto the team because of her uncle, and then, simply because she was a girl. What awaits the new BBA team on their journey to become the next World Champion.

_Cause when push comes to shove  
You taste what you're made of  
You might bend, till you break  
Cause it's all you can take  
On your knees you look up  
Decide you've had enough  
You get mad you get strong  
Wipe your hands shake it off  
Then you Stand, - Rascal Flatts_

* * *

"We have just landed in Tokyo, Japan; please remain seated until the pilot has switched off the seatbelt sign. We hope you have enjoyed your flight and thank-you for flying Air-Tokyo," one of the many flight attendants voice cracked over the speaker as rubber tires hit asphalt at break-neck speed.

A twelve-year old boy with hair that was two shades of blue let out a sigh of relief to finally be back on the ground; he had inherited his fear of flying from his mother. "Hey, Thea, we're here," he beckoned to his sister sitting beside him, shaking her awake.

His twin yawned, stretching in her seat. She opened her silver grey eyes and peered around the plane as people ignored the flight attendants orders to remain seated and began fetching their overhead luggage. "That took less time than I thought it would," she said, fiddling with her seatbelt.

"Well, you were asleep for most of the trip," teased her brother as he reached for his carry-on bag at his feet.

"At least I didn't spend the entire trip gripping the seat like he was about to fly out the window at any moment. Eh, Dim-ka?" she said retorted with a mocking smile.

Dimitri scowled at her as the plane finally stopped moving and he got up from his seat. "It's nothing to be ashamed of," he said calmly, "mom hates flying to."

"Yeah, but she doesn't show it like you do. You're just pathetic when it comes to flying," Thea giggled.

Dimitri shot her a glare, punching her arm, "Just get your bag." He stalked off with the crowd, stepping off the plane and heading towards the luggage retrieval portion. It didn't matter that he left her behind, after all they _were _heading in the same direction. _I wonder if uncle Kai is picking us up…? No… it's probably auntie Miya. _

He squeezed his way up to the roulet, waiting patiently for the bags –and a certain carrier- to come out. After a few moments he felt a small smack on the back of his head and turned to see his sister's scowling face. "You could have waited," she huffed.

"If I had known you were going to do that, I would have," he grumbled, rubbing the now sore spot. The twins turned their attention back to the roulet as it began to move, it would take both of them to lift the carrier off. Even though Skye was only a puppy and they could carry him easily, the airport didn't have any small carriers left so they were left putting him in one that was much too big for one of them to carry.

Thea fished Skye's leash –what used to be Nicol's leash- out of her bag as Dimitri pointed out the carrier heading their way. With a low grunt the two lifted it off the conveyor belt and placed it on the ground; greeted by the happy whimpering and barking of their puppy.

"Okay Skye," Thea said, "just hand on a second." She undid the cage door, grabbing his collar before he could race out and hooking the leash to it. Pretty soon, the rest of their baggage –one bag for each of them- came around and they were on their way out.

"Any idea where we're supposed to meet them?" Dimitri asked as they followed a large group of people towards the arrivals section of the terminal.

"Momma just said that they'd be there to great us," his sister responded, holding tightly onto Skye's leash as the young pup proceeded to trudge ahead of the twins, leading them and sniffing everything.

"It's a lot warmer here than back home," commented Dimitri as they reached the waiting area, which earned a nod from his sister.

"Dimitri! Thea!" the familiar voice of their younger cousin greeted them.

"Hey Cuz!" Thea beamed, ruffling his –very much like his father's- hair.

"Hi there Goh," Dimitri smiled and nodded in greeting.

"Mom asked me to fetch you guys," he said as though they had asked what he was doing here.

"Oh, so it's just you and your mom who came to pick us up?" Thea asked as Goh offered to take something from her. Rather than passing him on of her bags, she gave him Skye, knowing that it was what he really wanted to hold.

"Nope, dad's here to," he corrected, petting Skye as the young puppy barked happily at meeting a new person. "Mom wouldn't let him leave the house until he agreed that he wouldn't go to the BBA office. I think my uncle Tyson said that mom has him whipped."

Thea and Dimitri laughed as they followed their eight-year old cousin to his parents. As soon as they were in view, they were pulled into a bone-crushing embrace by their aunt as a greeting.

When she finally released them, Miya took a step back to get a good look at the twins. "Well, you have certainly grown, I almost didn't recognize you. How was your trip?"

"It was fine," Dimitri answered shortly.

"You've inherited your mother's fear of flying huh?" Kai smirked as Dimitri flushed in embarrassment.

Thea threw her brother a teasing grin as Miya spoke up, "Well, let's get you home, shall we? That way, you two can get settled and Goh can show you around town."

"And I can try to get some time in the office," Kai muttered under his breath.

"What was that, dear?"

"Nothing."

* * *

"So, how's the shooting going Goh?" Thea asked as they –being she, Goh, Dimitri and Skye- walked down the streets of Tokyo after they had unpacked at the Hiwatari estate.

"Dad says I'm getting really good. Who knows, maybe in a couple more years I'll even be a match for you two!" Goh grinned.

"Don't get your hopes up," Dimitri mocked, earning an elbow to the ribs and a harsh, "Dimka," from his sister.

"I've always wondered this… how come you two have accents when auntie Amy doesn't? And uncle Tala's has faded a lot too…" Goh asked as they reached one of the hottest shooting spots in town.

"Our mom says it's because we grew up learning the Russian language, like dad. Mom grew up in an English speaking country, so she has a bit of an accent of her own, except when she's speaking Japanese. And dad's has faded because of all the traveling shooters have to do when in the Bey-blading tournaments. So, ours will probably fade a bit as well," Thea explained.

"So… this is where the shooters come to play, huh?" Dimitri grinned, already reaching for Hein. Just as Wolborg was passed down to Thea, Dimitri had been given Hein. In fact, from what Hein had told him, he insisted to his mother to be given to Dimitri.

"We're barely in the country for an hour and already he's looking for a beybattle," his sister sighed, following him out into the field. Goh was walking excitably at their side, pointing out bladers he had beaten or who were decent fighters.

"You'll want to watch out for Jayden though," he said, while holding Skye's leash with one hand and Thea's hand with the other.

"Oh… and why's that?" Dimitri asked over his shoulder.

"He's _really_ tough. Dad even thinks so, says he'll probably be the first to make it onto the new BBA team for the tournament," explained the young Hiwatari.

Dimitri grinned vehemently, "Well then, guess I'm going to have to challenge this Jayden guy. Where is he?"

Goh scanned the rows of bladers, "Over there! He's the one with the dark brown hair and spiked wrist bands."

Dimitri followed Goh's pointed finger towards were a circle of onlookers watched the latest bey-battle between the hometown ace and his newest victim. As the battle ended Dimitri stepped forward.

"Come on, Goh, we'll find some other people to trounce," grinned Thea, leading Goh in the opposite direction. _If Dimka wants to be all macho and try to prove that he's hot stuff, then I'm not going to stop him. I just hope he doesn't come crying to me if his blade gets trashed._

"Hey kid!" Dimitri beckoned to the boy that his cousin had described, "you Jayden?"

"So what if I am?" the boy retorted icily.

"I heard you're pretty hot stuff in the bey stadium," smirked Dimitri, taking out Hein, "what do you say, 'pal', wanna dance?"

Behind him, Dimitri heard some people muttering about his 'strange' accent. Some girls fawning over it saying, 'He sounds so foreign! And he's not too hard on the eyes either.' This encouragement only swelled his already swollen ego.

"Alright, _pal_," Jayden mocked, "I'll… dance." Placing his blade back in his launcher and readying his ripcord.

* * *

"You don't want to watch Dimitri?" Goh asked.

"Do you?" countered Thea.

"Yeah! I wanna see how Dimitri does!" Goh said.

"Alright…" Thea sighed, turning around and walking back in the direction they had come from.

"Hey, Goh!" a boy who looked quite a bit like Tyson ran over, "some new kid has challenged Jayden to a bey battle!"

"I know," Goh said, "that's my cousin."

"And unfortunately my brother," groaned Thea, "I'm Thea Volkov by the way."

"Makoto Granger," the boy introduced himself, as he escorted them to the circle of bey blade fanatics.

Thea rolled her eyes at the swooning girls; she always found it disgusting how girls did that around her brother. On the other hand, his opponent wasn't too hard on the eyes. "Try not to get your ass whipped, Dimka," she called to her brother, laughing as he cringed at the name.

"Yeah, it would look bad if you got beat in front of your girlfriend, _Dimka_," Jayden sneered.

The Volkov twins gave him a look of utter disgust. "Dude, that's just gross, she's my sister."

"Yeah, but if you lose, Dimitri, that will be Hein's first loss won't it? After all, mom never lost a bey battle. That's a lot of pressure…" Thea teased.

"You know… you _are _supposed to be showing me support!" Dimitri hissed back at her.

"Yay, woo, now just get this over with," Thea said unenthusiastically.

"Three… two… one…" the ring of children chanted.

"LET IT RIP!!" the two bladers launched their bey-blades into the plastic dish.

"GO HEIN!" Dimitri yelled, "Volcanic Rage!"

_AAARRROOOOO!!_ Hein howled, as a tornado of fire swirled up from the blade. With his gold horn gleaming in the summer sun, he cut through the inferno, hovering- in all his blazing glory- over his blade. His fur blazed brightly and then burst into a river of liquid lava, attacking Jayden's blade and sending it flying backwards.

"Heh, is that all you got, _Dimka_," taunted Jayden, "go, Terrador!" With a loud roar, a velociraptor like bit beast appeared over Jayden's blade, it's large claw moving in a sort of tapping motion –ready to gouge if ordered.

The blades clashed with one another, the bit beasts circling and snapping at each other. Back and forth, they pushed, neither one showing signs of backing down. The on lookers watched in amazement, no one had lasted this long in the dish with Jayden.

"So, you got a bit beast to, huh?" Dimitri smiled at him, "good, that means you are a decent challenge."

"I wish I could say the same thing about you," growled the dark haired boy, "Terrador, finish this!"

"Hein! Counter it!" ordered Dimitri. The blades shot back from one another, then turned and raced towards each other once again. Just as they were about to collide a new blade shot into the fray, knocking both blades out of the dish.

"Opps… guess I shouldn't have cut in like that mate, just thought it was an interesting fight, that's all," a blonde boy with an obviously fake Australian accent apologized.

"Keith," Jayden growled at the blonde as he retrieved his fallen blade.

"Aww, don't look at me like that, Jay, it's not like I meant for your blade to get knocked out of the dish," the boy uneasily scratched the back of his head.

"Who's he?" Thea asked her cousin.

"That's Keith, the only guy around here who is close enough to Jayden to actually be considered his friend," Makoto was the one who explained.

"And why is that?" Dimitri asked after fetching Hein.

"Keith is the only one who seems unaffected by Jayden's attitude," Goh shrugged.

"Next time, idiot, don't cut into a bey battle," Jayden scolded.

"Oi! I'm not an idiot," argued Keith, before turning towards the Volkov twins. "Hi there! I'm Keith Walker, by the way, and this jerk is Jayden Taylor." He turned his full attention to Thea, "And who are you, fair maiden?"

Thea laughed at how ridiculous his fake accent sounded, "I'm Thea, Thea Volkov, and this is my brother Dimitri."

"Volkov?" Keith echoed, "as in Tala and Amy Volkov's kids?"

Jayden looked over in surprise at the mention of one of the former top bey bladers of the world's surname.

"That's right," Dimitri said, stepping between Keith and his sister.

"That means… you're the chairman's niece and nephew…?" Keith asked.

"Yup," the twins nodded.

"MY MOM KNOWS YOUR MOM!!" Keith cheered, pumping his arm in the air.

The twins blinked at him, what did that have to do with them being the niece and nephew of the chairman?

"Who's your mom?" Thea asked after recovering from her confusion.

"Claire Walker!" Keith yelled. The twins were surprised at how the boy could be so loud.

"Hey, idiot! Let's go!" Jayden barked.

"What about our bey battle?" Dimitri called after him.

"I don't have time to waste with a loser like you," the boy sneered.

"What!?" snarled Dimitri about to charge at him.

"Let it go, Dimka," Thea said, holding him back, "he's just scared 'cause you almost beat him."

"What was that?" Jayden asked, rounding on her.

"You heard me," growled Thea, "you're shaken by the fact that you almost lost to my brother so you're resorting to anything to make yourself feel better, AKA name calling." She wore a triumphant smirk on her porcelain perfect face.

Had Jayden not been so infuriated by the fact that she had just insulted him, he might have blushed at their proximity or even at the fact that her smirk was more cute than triumphant –it was really the expression in her eyes that carried the triumph.

"What does a girl know, huh? Everyone knows they can't beyblade," Jayden scoffed.

"You wanna test that theory?" snapped Thea ready to whip out Wolborg in an instant.

"Okay! Time-out!" Keith intervened, stepping between the two before it turned ugly, "we're all civilized people here, so shake hands and apologize. Jay, you first."

"Why me!?" he demanded.

"'Cause you insulted a lady," Keith stated simply.

"A lady, huh? I don't see a lady here just a little bit-

SLAP!

"Woah, Thee… nicely done," Dimitri commented with a whistle.

Goh stared at his cousin in awe, Thea was never one to get pushed over the edge like that. Sure, she got angry, especially when one played the sexist card towards the beyblading sport. Sure, there were some decent girl beybladers, but never amazing ones. Well, his aunt and their team was an exception, but they had never publicized their skills, so outside of Canada no one really knew of their skill.

Thea raised her hand as if to strike him again, but then huffed and lowered her hand again. "Come on, let's go. I've had enough jerk for one day," she scowled, giving Jayden a look so full of disdain that one could practically see the anger resonating off of her.

Dimitri gave a small nod, ushering Goh forward. He waited a moment turning to Jayden who was still staring at the spot Thea had been standing in with utter shock. "I'm not going to apologize for my sister's actions, in my opinion, you deserved it. Just so you know, at the tournament. I'm going to wipe the floor with you for saying that to her," he snarled, slamming his shoulder against Jayden's before marching after his sister and cousin.

Keith beamed after them, waving ecstatically. "See you at the tournament!" he called happily. "They seem nice," he smiled at his friend, "oh, and you did, kinda, deserve that slap, Jay. Now stop looking as though it was the first time you were slapped and let's blow this pop-stand."

Jayden blinked a few times, Keith was wrong, it was the first time he got slapped. No girl had the gull to talk to him before Thea- or if they did, it was nothing but incomprehensible gibberish mixed with random giggles. It was a new experience for him, and one that he'd rather not repeat. After all, nothing bursts an ego more than getting slapped by a girl and then not doing anything about it.

"Yo, earth calling Jay! Are we going or what?" Keith demanded, waving his hand in front of Jayden's face.

"Stop that!" snapped the boy, swatting the blonde's hand away.

"Finally a response!"

"Hn… idiot."

* * *

"ARGH! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT JERK!" Thea screamed at the top of her lungs.

"I can't believe she slapped him," Makoto whispered to Goh, who nodded.

"Is he always like that, Goh?" Dimitri asked, meaning Jayden.

"Yeah, but Keith usually intervenes before it gets like that," Goh said.

"Someone has to teach that boy a lesson in respect," Thea huffed.

"Don't worry Thee, I'll protect your honor!" Dimitri grinned, puffing his chest out proudly.

"HELL NO! If anyone's fighting that jerk it's me!"

"Well, they pick the opponents at random so… maybe," Goh shrugged.

A nod passed between the twins, "It'll definitely be one of us to face him."

"What will happen if you have to fight each other?" Makoto asked.

"Oh, it will probably turn out like it always does, me winning and Thea not," smirked Dimitri.

"Says the boy who hasn't won a match against me since we were four," countered his sister.

"Harsh Thee," pouted Dimitri, his ego being even further deflated.

"I gotta get home, see ya Goh! It was nice to meet you Thea, Dimitri," Makoto bowed to them before racing off.

"Why'd he bow?" Dimitri asked, confused.

"Oh, it's a traditional thing, you guys don't have to worry about it," said Goh.

"Oh."

* * *

"So what did you kids do today?" Miya asked at the dinner table.

"I took them to the beyblading spot," Goh said, "and Dimitri challenged Jayden to a match."

Kai looked up at the mention of the protegy beyblader's name. "Who won?"

"No one, a boy named Keith interrupted before we could really get going," Dimitri said, "I have a feeling Jayden wasn't trying his hardest in that match though."

"I have high expectations for that boy, he's very skilled in the sport. I'm hoping he will be the captain of the new BBA team once it's formed," stated Kai.

"That jerk, pah, I feel sorry for his team-mates," Thea grumbled.

"Well, if you two are as good as your parents, I'm hoping you will also be on that team," Kai smirked, loving the way Thea's face turned from scowling to her jaw hanging open in an almost shocked state.

"Oh, and Thea slapped him today," Goh added.

Miya looked at the twelve-year old girl in surprise as she flushed and refused to meet the woman's gaze.

"He had it coming, mouthing off like that," growled Dimitri, "he almost called Thee a bit-

"Dimka!" Thea snapped, silencing him.

Dimitri cast his gaze down to his dinner, playing with it with his fork.

"I'm sorry, can I be excused?" Thea asked, glaring slightly at her brother. Both her aunt and uncle nodded, watching as she slid from her chair and disappeared up the staircase to the upper floor.

* * *

"Of course, we might be put on the same team," Thea ranted to herself in the safety of her room, "and I make a great first impression. Well… he didn't make the best impression either, saying stuff like that!" She let out a loud sigh, flopping down on her bed, "Why are all the cute ones jerks? Why can't I end up like mom and dad? Find a nice guy right off the…" She stopped herself, remembering what her mother said to her when she was younger.

"_Umm… how'd you and daddy meet?" Thea asked._

"_Oh, you don't want to hear about that," laughed Amy, the non-to-fond memories of her first meeting with the team formally known as the Demolition Boys still fresh in her mind._

"_I do though," argued Thea, "pwease momma!"_

_Amy sighed in defeat, "The first time I met your father… I was about your age and living in that creepy old abbey."_

"_Why?"_

"'_Cause your uncle Kai and mine's grandfather- your great-grandfather- sent us there to train and become better bey-shooters."_

"_Was it wove at first sight?" asked Thea excitedly._

"_Not exactly… we hated each other when we first met. It wasn't until I was fifteen and he was seventeen that we actually started to get along." _

"_Why'd you hate each ofer?"_

"_Your father wasn't the nicest to me when we were little."_

"_Why?"_

_Amy shrugged, "Boys can be quite childish when they're little and can be quite cruel."_

Thea groaned, burrowing her face in her pillow. _Mom, you have no idea how right you were…_

There was a small tap at her door and she looked up to see her uncle standing in her doorway, looking quite uncomfortable –meaning her aunt had told him to go talk to her.

"Anything you want to talk about?" he asked.

"Not really…" she responded.

"Look… I know Jayden can be a bit of an ass, more so to girls than anyone else, but he is a good shooter. The only thing he's lacking is knowing how to work as a team, and I think you and your brother can help along those lines. You both can be tolerant… when you want to be. Understand, I'm not putting you on a team with him to torture you, I just think it's something he could- you all could benefit from," Kai said.

"What makes you so sure we'll make it onto your little team?" Thea asked.

"You and Dimitri aren't rookie shooters. You were taught everything by two of the best –course you could've learned a lot more from me, but I'm sure your parents did a fine job. You shouldn't have any problems making it through the tournament, well... Keith and Jayden may give you on hell of a fight, but you'll manage." Kai gently ruffled her hair, earning a small smile from the little girl. "So, can I count on you in this?"

"I guess… I mean, teaching him some manners will be for the good of the nation, so I call it my good deed for the month." _And who knows, maybe I'll do such a good job he'll want to thank me some way…_

"Huh, and it's not because it's a good chance to go global with your beyblading?" Miya asked from the doorway. What went unsaid was, 'and you find him moderately attractive', but both the twelve year old and the thirty-one year old were aware of it.

"Well, there's that too," Thea admitted to both questions, said and unsaid.

* * *

"Sooo… that girl was cute," Keith commented, joining Jayden for dinner in his house for the umpteenth time that month.

"Why are you here,?" Jayden asked.

"Well… your dad's not home and both my folks are working late, and it's good for friends to hang out," beamed Keith, "now… back to Thea."

Jayden snorted, "If you want her, go ahead."

"You're not interested in the least?" Keith asked in shock, "dude… it is not _every_ freakin' day that an attractive, girl arrives in Tokyo… let alone one with a hot accent! … Or are you still sore that she slapped you? You know, you gotta hand it to her, she's got guts."

"How come you knew of her mother?" Jayden asked.

"Oh, my mother used to be her guardian's intern," Keith explained, "if I remember, Dimitri's blade belonged to his mother. Apparently she was really good at blading."

The blonde haired boys friend snorted again, "Yeah right."

"I'm serious, apparently she could beat the chairman and her husband in a beybattle," Keith explained, "had an all girl team too… "

Jayden rolled his eyes, "I doubt it."

"Hey, man, just 'cause your mom walked out on you doesn't mean you have to hate on every member of the opposite sex that you come across."

"Shut up, idiot."

"Fine, I'm just saying… those eyes of hers were something huh… what were they, cobalt?"

"Silver-grey," corrected Jayden. His hazel eyes widened almost immediately afterwards, realizing his mistake as his friend laughed, "Ha! I knew it!"

"Just eat your dinner… annoying twit…"

* * *

blackamber- So... how was that for a first chapter? Also, thanks again Windy for helping me think of a title!

Windy- T T recognition... sooo nice...

blackamber- Oh, and helping me give Keith and Jayden elements. XD Which are Jayden- Rock and Keith- light

Dimtri- I got my dad's job! R&R

* * *


	2. First Part of the Tournament

blackamber- Yay! New chapter...

Jayden- (sigh) Blackamber would like your opinion on something...

Aya- She wants to know if the team should go to Argentina, Ireland and India, or Argentina, Ireland, and Ghana.

Thea- Usual disclaimer XD

Dimitri ENJOY!

* * *

Dimitri ran a hand through his dark hair as he stretched in his bed. He glanced over at his alarm clock and smirked; it wasn't too early, but early enough. He could hear his aunt bustling around on the ground floor and there was no doubt his uncle had already left to finish the preparations for the tournament tomorrow.

With a loud yawn, he got up from his bed and made his way over to his sister's room. He knocked once and, when no answer had come, he let himself into the room to find his sister face down in her pillow.

"Thee?" he said questioningly, he could see her body moving with each breath she took, that meant she was alive. However, if he had jumped to conclusions and not paused to watch her for a second, he would have thought her to be dead. "Thee?" he poked her and gained no response save a small, barely noticeable, jerk away.

A mischievous grin lit up the twin of the red-haired girl sleeping as a thought came to mind. He took a deep breath and yelled directly into her ear, "помощь я думаю моя сестра, мертва!!" (Help, I think my sister is dead)

"SONOFABITCH!" Thea shot up, looking around wildly, "What!? WHERE!?"

Dimitri collapsed against the blue printed comforter that covered the bed in a fit of laughter.

"идиот!" (idiot) hissed Thea, clenching her fist and hitting her brother harshly across the back of his head.

"OWWW!!" howled Dimitri in pain, "That hurt!"

"It was supposed to!"

"What's going on!?" Miya asked frantically, "I heard yelling…" Goh, having woken up to the yelling, was standing directly behind her looking into the room with awe- his cousins' accents sounded so much cooler when they were speaking their own language.

"Nothing for you to worry about, auntie Miya, my idiot of a brother just woke me up," Thea said, sending her brother a dark glare.

Miya let out a small giggle, "I see he hasn't learned the importance of letting woman have their beauty sleep."

"I don't think beauty sleep will help much in Thea's case, she'll need a beauty coma to improve that look," teased Dimitri, nursing the back of his head.

Thea's silver-grey eyes narrowed into thin slits as she struck him again, making him howl in pain once more.

"Well, breakfast is ready if you want some," Miya smiled, "come on Goh, I need your help today."

"Okay…" the eight-year old boy sighed, following his mother.

"идиот, get out of my room so I can get changed," Thea ordered, knocking Dimitri off her bed with her foot.

"Why are you so violent and mean!?" cried Dimitri with a fake pout.

"Maybe if you wouldn't _piss_ me _off_, I wouldn't be," Thea snapped back, "now get out."

"Fine," her brother huffed, sulking out of the room.

As soon as he was out, Thea wasted no time slipping back under the covers for an extra hour of sleep.

* * *

"What exactly are we doing here?" Thea asked as Dimitri led her and Skye back to the field they were in the other day. It was just as packed as it was the other day; full of beybladers testing their skills against one another.

"That's her… there beside the cute boy with sapphire eyes," one girl muttered as though Thea couldn't hear her. "That one? She doesn't look like much but how dare she slap Jayden," growled another. "Yeah, what a bitch," grumbled a third.

Thea grumbled incoherently under her breath, oh yes, she could tell she was going to be _very_ popular in _this_ town.

"I want to find that Jayden kid again, challenge him to a rematch," Dimitri stated, completely oblivious to the words being spoken about his sister.

"I doubt he'll fight you, he made that quite clear yesterday," said Thea, keeping a tight hold on Skye's leash.

"HEY! VOLKOV TWINS!" the hyper-active blonde's voice came as he raced over to them, "I'm glad I caught you!"

"Hey… Keith was it," Dimitri waved.

"That's right!" Keith beamed, "how are you doing today?"

"Good," Thea answered for the both of them, putting the girl's voices out of her mind.

"Say, where's your friend?" Dimitri asked.

"Oh Jayden? He was being a wet blanket so I got bored and left him," shrugged Keith.

"Oh, so he ditched you," Thea said seriously.

"So cruel," Keith cried.

"Who? My sister or Jayden?" inquired Dimitri after blinking numerous times.

"Both."

"Oh, so he _did_ ditch you," chuckled Dimitri, "and Thea's just in a spaz-tastic mood today." That term earned him a punch to the stomach from said sister.

"Hey, that's not cool mate! He did not ditch me," argued Keith, his fake accent returning.

Thea giggled at the accent, "Why do you talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like _that_, with that accent," pressed Thea.

"'Cause he's an idiot," stated a dark tenor voice as a certain hazel eyed boy sauntered up to them.

"Jayden! You came for me!" cheered Keith, "You missed me didn't you!?"

"Hn, not likely idiot, I realized my mistake by leaving you on your own," Jayden said, indifferently.

"And what mistake would that be?" Keith asked, confused.

"That you, on your own, is a hazard to everything in a twenty-yard radius from you," smirked the monotonous boy.

Keith gasped loudly, "You just made a joke! Good for you!"

Jayden rolled his eyes, muttering, "Annoying twit."

"Hey, Jayden, what do you say we pick up where we left off the other day?" suggested Dimitri, reaching for his Hein.

"I thought I made it clear, I don't waste my time with losers," said Jayden in a bored tone.

"Aww, come on, what's the harm?" pressed Dimitri.

"You can't force him to fight you, идиот," Thea scolded.

"WOAH! What language was that!? THAT WAS AWESOME!! What did it mean!?" Keith grew ecstatic at the sound of a new language.

"Uhhh… it was-"

"Idiot, it was obviously Russian," growled Jayden.

"You don't know that!" argued his blonde friend, "she could know other languages."

"Well, actually it was Russian," Thea corrected, "and it means-"

"Genius!" interrupted Dimitri, not wanting them to know she had called him an idiot, "she called me… a genius. Granted sarcastically but-"

"идиот! I did not!" snapped Thea, cuffing him on the back of his head.

"So abusive," sobbed Dimitri.

"It means idiot," explained Thea.

"Nooo! Why'd you say that!? Now he's going to call me an idiot in another language!" wailed Keith, pointing dramatically at Jayden.

"I have no intention of calling you an idiot in _her_ language," growled Jayden, glaring at Thea.

"And what does _that_ mean?" Thea asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"It means that I won't use your filthy language to tease my friend," sneered Jayden.

"WHAT!? My language is not filthy, you take that back!" Thea snarled, clenching her fist.

"That was low mate, even for you," Keith said, deathly serious voice and an expression that voiced his disappointment.

Dimitri was silently fuming, debating whether he should punch the boys head in or to strangle him.

"Hn, whatever," Jayden shrugged.

"I said, _take that back_," growled Thea darkly.

"Or what? You'll slap me again?" mocked Jayden, "try it, I dare you. But just so you know, you hit me, I'll hit you back."

"I'd love to see you try," seethed Thea with no fear in her eyes. She was not scared of getting hit, after being brutally beaten by men older than her parents getting punched by a boy her age –if not a year older- was nothing to be scared of.

To say the least, Jayden had been surprised that Thea had not backed down from his words as he expected her to. In fact, she seemed to be trying to egg him on. Women weren't supposed to do that! They were supposed to cringe and cower when you raised your fist to them, weren't they? That's what his mother did before she left.

Thea raised her hand as though to slap him when she was stopped by her brother.

"Come on Thee, he's not worth it. Just because he didn't learn his manners from his mommy is no reason for us to waste our energy on trying to teach them to him."

"What. Did. You. Say?" asked Jayden, clenching his fists and glaring at the boy.

Keith saw the flash of rage in Jayden's eyes at Dimitri's words; so had Thea, but Dimitri was too far back from the dark haired boy to have seen it.

"Ohohoho, it seems I hit a nerve, eh Thee?" grinned Dimitri, "what's the matter? Do you not like me talking about your mom's inability to-"

"Drop it Dimka," Thea interrupted. Unlike Keith, she had seen something else flash through Jayden's eyes. It was pain… maybe even betrayal.

"Why? He was insulting our heritage and our home language! He deserves a much bigger insult than-"

"I said drop it Dimka!" snapped Thea.

With a huff, Dimitri fell silent.

"I'm sorry for what I said about your language," Jayden said, sounding as sincere as someone with his attitude could, "I didn't mean it; what I meant came out wrong."

"Oh, so what did you mean?" Thea asked, surprised by the boys apology.

"I meant, I would never call him anything in a language _you_ use. The language isn't filthy… you are," sneered Jayden, turning away.

"WHAT!?" shrieked Thea as Dimitri barked out a laughter, holding her back from pummeling the boy who was now walking away.

"Idiot, let's go!" Dimitri called over his shoulder.

"I'll see you guys at the tournament tomorrow, right?" Keith asked.

"'Course, it's why we're here," Dimitri grinned.

"Cool."

"IDIOT! NOW!"

"Well, the jerk calls, see ya," Keith waved, running to catch up with his friend.

_Just you wait, Jayden Taylor, in tomorrow's tournament I am going to make you so sorry, it'll hurt._

* * *

"Welcome, Beyblade fanatics to this years World Championship! I'm Brad Best here with my good partner AJ Topper!" **(A/N: I could not get rid of them… they are just too perfect)**

"To kick start the Championships this year is the tournament to decide who will be the newest members of the BBA team. A lot of shooters have shown up today Brad."

"They sure have AJ, in Block A's group we have the regional champion Jayden Taylor – boy do I feel sorry for the kids pinned in that dish. Over in Block B is the runner up and Jayden's good buddy, Keith Walker."

"WOAH! Brad you're not going to believe this! In Block C's group we've got Thea Volkov from Russia! Tala Volkov's daughter and Chairman Hiwatari's niece! And over in Block D is her brother, Dimitri!"

"Talk about sibling rivalry, AJ. To start the tournament, we'll have Block C's group fighting, followed by Block A, then D, and finally B. Following that, the victor from Block D and C will face off against one another as well as the victors from Block A and B. The winners of those matches will face off against each other and with judges consent, the team will be decided."

"Shooters! Are you ready!?" DJ Daichi asked **(A/N: I got that from the manga too XD**) "Three… two… one!"

"LET IT RIP!!"

"GO WOLBORG!" Thea yelled, launching her blade into the dish.

"Don't get knocked out Thee!" Dimitri called from his spot in the stands beside his aunt and cousin.

"Go Thea!" Goh cheered.

The some fifteen other bladers were quickly knocked out from Wolborg's power, after all no one in that dish but Thea had a bit beast- and of course she had been taught to blade by the best. She didn't bother using her special moves; she didn't need to show off her true power yet. She'd save that for Jayden.

"Wow, I don't think I've seen a free-for-all over so quickly before in my life!" Daichi yelled into the mic, "that means, Thea Volkov from Block C moves on to the next round!"

A chorus of cheers met Thea's ears after the announcement was made and she stepped down from the stadium.

"You're next… Jayden," she growled as she passed the dark haired boy as the next dish was being set up.

"Hn, have you forgotten, you have to fight the victor of Block D first… and I doubt you could win," scoffed Jayden.

"We'll see… just don't lose your nerve when I face you across the dish," sneered Thea, going to join her family in the stands.

Needless to say, like Thea, Jayden was the only one with a bit beast in that battle and thus made short work of the other shooters with his Terrador. He didn't bother concealing his true power, after all everyone -or practically everyone- in the arena had already seen him beybattle multiple times before. With a low 'hn' he caught Terrador, leaving the dish area and looking up where the Volkov twins were with a wry smirk. He didn't hold back, hoping a demonstration of his true power would knock some sense into the stubborn girl who seemed so determined to fight him.

Instead of shock, he saw her smirking back at him- if not looking impatient to fight him, much like how Keith must be feeling at being pinned dead last in the block fights. He narrowed his eyes, willing the wall between the two rivals to shudder with fear towards his skill. With huff, he tore his hazel eyes away from her silver-grey ones… annoyingly captivating ones… and walked away.

Dimitri all but jumped over the wall to get to the dish, his excitement after watching Jayden fight was deafening. After much protesting from both his sister and his aunt, Dimitri agreed to take the stairs. He raced down the steps and passed the dark haired boy, not sparing him a word –not that the boy minded.

Dimitri waltzed up the steps to the dish, Hein ready in his launcher. He gave a curt nod to the shooters on either side of him as greeting.

"_This will be fun, little warrior," Hein panted, excited for the fight._

"_You betcha, buddy," Dimitri responded, gripping the ripcord tightly._

"Shooters are you ready!? Three… two… one!"

"LET IT RIP!" Dimitri yelled along side the others, "Let's go HEIN!"

The wolf of fire howled loudly, not appearing over the dish, but launching towards the others and making short work of most; he allowed the rest to play around with one another, pretending to be on the run from two. _Heh, like I can't hold them off,_ he thought egotistically.

He easily out ran them then, feeling his little game had gone on long enough, made sharp turn and rammed the ones that were chasing him, sending them flying from the dish. He then rounded on the remaining few blades, sending them out of the dish in a manner of seconds.

From the box, Kai smirked down at his nephew; he had no doubts that Thea and Dimitri would make it to the finals, now he was just curious as to who was stronger. Who would beat the other and move on to fight Jayden. No offense to Keith's skill, but he had seen those two fight too often and the results were always the same. Jayden would win and Keith would be runner-up.

But things would be differently now; a new battle was going to take place. Instead of the tournament ending as it always did, it would end with people either looking on in shock or smiling with content towards their regional champ. And then, of course, he'd announce the team. Even though he already knew who was on it, and more likely than not the onlookers did as well, but still, he'd wait till the end.

Dimitri caught Hein with a bright smile, savoring the loud cheers that were all for him. He all but restrained himself from jumping with excitement as he stepped down from the dish and sauntered back to his family.

Keith didn't have anyone to tell him the sense of taking the stairs rather than jumping the wall… well, Jayden did say something… but it wasn't really a warning. More like words of encouragement, for he said, "Hn. Just don't kill yourself, I'm expecting to fight you in the end."

For, even though Keith would lose to him, if he beat whichever twin that won the match between them, he would have to fight Jayden again. It didn't make much sense to the boys, but whatever floats the Chairman's boat.

The blonde raced towards the dish, a groan escaping his adversaries. They knew already how the match was going to end up with Keith in the dish. Like Dimitri, he would let them believe they were doing good, maybe even let them think they were getting the upper hand, but in the end, it would be him who won. For, just like the other three, he was the only one in the dish with a bit beast.

His light elemental wallaby bit beast named Toolache.

"How's it going mates?" he said good-naturedly.

"Shooters are you ready?" Daichi asked, his hand ready to count the mark.

"Three, two, one!"

"LET IT RIP!"

"GO Toolache!" Keith ordered, wanting to get this over with, "Light Kick!" The tiny kangaroo like bit beast rose from the blade, acting out his masters orders. The wallaby made short work of most of the beyblades, not all of them, which was what Keith had hoped for. He wanted a decent one-on-one, not knock shooters out while they were busy holding off another.

Although, there wasn't really a challenge for him, he still tried to make it look like it was a difficult fight. But in the end, like the others, he had knocked them out of the dish. He sighed, privately wishing that the fight had been longer as he caught Toolache.

"Well, that concludes the first part of the tournament, now we're going to take a brief twenty minute break before we're back with the semi-finals."

"We'll be starting with the victors of Block C and D. Wow, and if you thought there was sibling rivalry before, you best sit tight beyblade fans, for it's going to be Thea Volkov against Dimitri Volkov!"

* * *

"We're back beyblade fans for the beginning of the semi-finals! This is Brad Best here with AJ Topper and you can practically feel the tension in the stadium as the Volkov siblings square off against one another."

"It's a Mexican stare down, Brad as they eagerly await the count down."

"I think you mean 'show down' AJ."

Daichi looked between Thea and Dimitri, both clutching their launchers tightly.

"Don't go easy on me, brother," Thea smiled.

"Wouldn't dream of it, sis," smirked Dimitri.

"Three… two… one…"

"LET IT RIP!" the twins yelled.

* * *

blackamber- CLIFFIE!! Who will win? Thea or Dimitri? ooo such suspense!

Jayden- Idiot...

blackamber- T.T

Dimitri- uh... r&r..


	3. Thea vs Dimitri, Keith vs Jayden

blackamber- I know this is really short... and I know that it is REALLY late... but I have a good reason. I had exams these past two weeks and they destroyed my life... and I have heartbreaking news... my filler chapter for after the first part of the tournament -meaning when they are done with Argentina- disappeared. It was 8,000 words, completely done... and it's gone T.T

Aya- Awww... there, there *pats back comfortingly*

Jayden- Soo... who cares?

blackamber- I DO! IT MEANS I HAVE TO RE-WRITE IT ALL OVER AGAIN AND IT WILL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS THE ORIGINAL!!

Thea- Ummm... blackamber would like to know where the tournaments should take place. Argentina, Ireland, and India or Argentina, Ireland, and Ghana?

Keith- Usual disclaimer!

* * *

"Alright Hein! Let's do this!" Dimitri ordered as his red blade circled Thea's white.

"Go for it Wolborg! Knock him out of there!!" yelled Thea; both wolves had appeared over their blades, snarling at one another. Snow white versus fire red- ice against fire; it was amazing that neither child received a frost bite or burn from the two elements.

The blades locked with one another, pushing back and forth.

"Wolborg, Blizzalog!!" Thea commanded as the wolf's blizzard was summoned, "let's see you counter this."

Dimitri smirked, "Heh, I'll melt that snow of yours, Hein! Heatflash!" The wave of fire emitted from Hein's body cut through the storm, turning the blizzard into rain.

"Are you _trying_ to put Hein's fire out?" taunted Thea, as the rain poured down on them- soaking them to the bone.

The smirk on Dimitri's face never left, even as his sister teased him. Hein and Wolborg shook the water from their fur as they lunged at one another once more. Fang on fang, claw on claw, the wolves wrestled as their blades clashed and banged against one another. "Is that all you got, baby sister," grinned Dimitri. Ever since the twins were told that Dimitri was born first –after a long argument between the two about who was older- he held it over her head.

Thea snorted, "Not even close. Wolborg! Finish this!"

"Hein attack!!!"

The wolves locked with one another, Wolborg's fangs burrowing into Hein's scruff as Hein's claws slashed at Wolborg's side. Below the fighting titans, their blades pushed one another back and forth- the weight disks scratching against one another, spraying sparks across the dish. The smell of burning metal soon began to overpower the stadium, but the twins would not let up their attack. Whoever won this match would be viewed as the better shooter for the world to see; this wasn't one of their friendly matches where it didn't matter who won- this was serious.

"Heh, guess it's a good thing mom taught me this trick," Dimitri said smugly, "Hein, Scarlet Flame!"

Scarlet-red fire swirled around Hien's body before launching towards Wolborg, however this did not daunt Thea's confidence in the battle, she had presumed her mother had taught her brother this move and has been expecting him to use it.

"I _would_ be impressed," she said nonchalantly, "had dad not also taught _me_ a new move. Wolborg! Snow Meteor!"

"Come on Thee, we both know ice can't beat fire," teased Dimitri.

"We shall see," glared Thea, "NOW WOLBORG!!!"

Wolborg howled, unleashing a barrage of ice meteors on Hein as flame engulfed the dish.

* * *

"This could be it folks!" Daichi yelled into the mic.

"Woah nelly! I'm hanging onto the edge of my seat here AJ, tell me when it's over!"

"Brad, I think it's over."

"And the winner is-"

There was a long pause as both Valkov children stared wide-eyed into the dish.

"Thea Valkov!"

A deafening cheer echoed through the stadium at Daichi's words – some people just whooping and clapping while others, mostly girls, chanted her name.

* * *

"YEAH!! WAY TO GO THEA!" Goh yelled above the noise.

"THAT'S MY GIRL!" Miya cheered, "THAT'S MY NIECE!!"

* * *

"Well, this is unexpected," one of Kai's subordinates chuckled, "never thought the girl would proceed. What about you chairman? I understand that they're your niece and nephew and that you shouldn't really take sides, but I'm curious."

"I had no doubts about Thea," smirked Kai, "she may have her father's blade, but she has her mother's skill." Kai knew from the moment he had first seen the twins fight one another that Thea would surpass her brother one day; she had that same drive that her mother had when she beybattled. Kai would never admit, but he had a feeling had Kaylie not interfered in their battle when they had been reunited, Amy would have ended up wiping the floor with him. Not necessarily because she was better, but because she had more drive than him in that battle. She had something to prove, that she wasn't weak anymore, that she didn't need his guidance to get stronger- that she could be better than him.

But, by the end of the year, when her career as a beyblader was about to start. Where she, and the rest of her team, could have traveled the world, compete in tournaments and make names for themselves, she pulled out of the sport. And when asked why, she simply said, "I have fought my battles, I have nothing more to prove." Of course, Tala and he had argued that notion, stating that she could become the best, even beat Tyson one day –which they both were dying to see. But she had shaken her head and said, "That's not the life I want. I've played my game and enjoyed it, but now it's time to bow out a champion in my own mind." Then she added, jokingly, "Besides, I think I'm getting too old for this."

_But that won't happen with Thea,_ smiled Kai, looking down at his niece and nephew as they retrieved their blades, _she will live the life you should have had. Course… I never will get to see Tyson lose now… but at least I can have some pride saying that a member of my family is champion… that is until Goh starts competing. _He smirked at the recollection of the already forming shooting rivalry between his son and Tyson's. _Better watch out, Tyson, or else the Granger shooting legacy will end just as it started, with you._

* * *

Dimitri whistled as he picked up Hein from the partially melted dish, "Nicely done, sis. I seriously didn't see that coming."

"What can I say," shrugged his sister, "I'm just full of surprises. Good match though, I actually thought you would win." She smiled warmly at her twin as he joined her on the opposite side of the dish.

"Well, I think auntie Miya wants to tackle us so we'd better get up there before she breaks down the wall to get at us," joked Dimitri, leading the way back to the stands. They passed Keith and Jayden on their way –Keith giving the twins a thumbs up and Thea a wink.

"Good luck Keith," Thea nodded, to their blonde friend.

"Thanks! And great job there, Thee. You can really blade," beamed Keith.

"Idiot, let's go!" Jayden ordered, turning back to his friend before ascending the steps to the dish.

"Knock him outta the stadium, Keith," said Dimitri, gripping the older boys shoulder in a friendly matter.

"Nah, I don't think I will. I've fought Jayden many times… and knocking him outta the stadium is not something I'm capable of… but I look forward to our match regardless Thee."

"Me too Keith, and you never know, this could be your battle," encouraged Thea.

"See ya, twins!" Keith gave them a mock salute before finally joining Jayden at the dish.

"Ready to get your blade trashed, loser?" Jayden asked with a smirk.

"Now now, mate, no need for such talk," beamed Keith, "let's just have fun, shall we?"

Jayden let out a low 'hn', his Terrador blade already set in its launcher.

"Shooters, are you ready?" Daichi asked, his hand ready for the count down. "Three… two… one… LET ITTT RIIIPPP!"

"Go Terrador!"

"Come on Toolache! Show him who's boss!" yelled Keith with zeal, pumping his arm in the air.

"Do you always have to be so loud, idiot?" Jayden asked, mockingly as their blades clashed with one another.

"I'm just having fun, Jay," Keith said innocently, "like you should be."

Jayden rolled his eyes, "You should know by now how seriously I take Beyblading, Keith, I can't afford to have fun."

"Well, maybe if you did, you might stop acting like you have a stick up your ass," grinned the blonde.

"If you're quite done with this little chat, I'd like to get back to demolishing you," growled Jayden, "Terrador, Stone Barrage!"

"Toolache! Counter it with Light Kick!" Keith ordered. The wallaby and the velociraptor performed their special attacks, lunging towards one another with an angry roar –or at least Terrador roared. **(A/N: I'm not sure what noise a Wallaby would make O.o a hiss maybe?)**

Dust covered the stadium as the rocks from Terrador's attack hit the dish, interrupting Toolache's attack.

"This could be it folks!" Daichi yelled into the microphone, waiting patiently for the dust to settle, "and the winner is… JAYDEN!"

Jayden just smirked as the crowd roared. There was no surprise with that outcome, and that's what the crowd liked. Sure, it would have been interesting if Keith had won, but it was a comfort for Jayden to be victorious.

"We'll be taking a half-hour break for Keith and Thea to finish the repairs to their blades before they face off to see who will face Jayden in the finals," Brad Best spoke at the announcer's booth.

"Now one question remains, will the young Volkov girl beat Keith and move on to fight our region champ, or will we have a repeat match between Keith and Jayden?"

Blue eyes met silver-grey as Thea nodded to Keith from her spot in the stands. Rising from her seat, she made her way down to the locker room to start her repairs on Wolborg. He didn't need much fixing, just a new attack ring which she always carried spares of.

Keith, however, had to do a full body tune-up on his Toolache blade; Jayden had certainly done a number on his blade this time. But it didn't matter, thirty minutes was plenty of time to fix up his blade for his fight against Thea. _I'm really looking forward to this, Thee. I can tell from the way you and your brother fought, you aren't newbies to the sport, you know what you're doing. Heh, who knows, if I'm not careful you might beat me and then Jayden will have to watch his back. _

_Well, here we go… Keith… I'm ready for you,_ Thea thought, clutching Wolborg tightly, _I'm ready…_

* * *

blackamber- Once again, I apologize for lateness and shortness. The next chapter -which will contain Keith and Thea's fights as well as Jayden and Thea's and also introduce Aya and the team will be MUCH longer... I promise!

Dimitri- R&R


	4. The Team is Formed

blackamber- I'm sorry this took so long to write, I was just really busy over the holidays and with exams.... and this is a longer chapter.

Aya- But it's done now, so we hope you enjoy

Keith- Usual disclaimer!

* * *

Thea glared at the blonde standing across the dish from her as he smiled and waved back at her. She desperately fought the urge to giggle and smile back at the boy's antics; he remaindered her of her little brother, Dylan- and he was _only_ two years old.

Daichi cleared his throat loudly before speaking into the microphone. "Here we go, folks! We are now at the semi-finals- the fight between Thea Volkov and Keith Walker!"

Deafening cheers rose from the crowds; more distinguishable whoops from a certain Volkov boy reaching his twin sister's ears.

"I think everyone in the stadium has been looking forward to this match, AJ."

"Not as much as they are the next one. If Thea beats Keith we're going to have one heck of a smack down in the finals, Brad."

"Woah! Slow down there, AJ, let's get through his match first before we go on to the next one."

"Let's take a look at our blader's stats. Young Thea Volkov proudly carries her father's Wolborg blade with its freezing special move, Snow Meteor."

"Don't forget her opponent AJ! Keith Walker and his bit beast Toolache won't go down easily, especially with his Light Kick at that wallaby's disposal."

"Shooters! Are you ready!?" When DJ Daichi had received the nod from both parties he began the countdown. "Three… two… one… LET IT RIIIIPPPP!!"

"GO TOOLACHE!"

"C'MON WOLBORG! TROUNCE HIM!"

"Aww… that's not very nice Thee," pouted Keith as his yellow blade circled Thea's white.

"I'm sorry Keith, I'm just genetically competitive," apologized Thea sincerely.

Keith brightened immediately and winked at her; using his fake Australian accent, "Let's just make this a fun one, alright mate?"

Thea rolled her eyes as she focused on the match. "Alright, Wolborg, Blizzalog!"

"Counter it Toolache!" ordered the blonde, "use your Light Kick!"

The two moves collided, blizzard forcing the wallaby's attack back and away from the ice-wolf. Wolborg took a few cautious steps forward, his fangs bared as he snarled bitterly at the Australian beast. As Toolache recovered from the knock back, it bounded towards Wolborg, hoping to wear the wolf out and then try the Light Kick once more.

The wolf was ready for the miniature Kangaroo as he lunged at locked its blade in the attack. Sparks flew from the contact, but neither beast would back down and so the struggle continued, with both shooters urging, mentally, their blades and beasts on; praying that when it came time for a falter it would not be their blade that did so.

"You are certainly better than my brother," commented Thea, determination burning in her silver-grey eyes.

"Heh, and you are certainly no rookie," beamed Keith, sweat dripping from his forhead, "if Jayden has to fight you, I would feel sorry for him."

"_When_ he fights me, I'll make him sorry," growled the young girl.

"You're still sore from the other day?" Keith asked, briefly taking his mind of the match and looking at her in surprise.

"Had he just insulted me, I would not mind, but he insulted my heritage, my language, I cannot let that go… even if he said sorry."

"He did mean it though," defended Keith, "when he said sorry, I mean."

"Saying 'sorry' and meaning it are two different things. He may have sounded sincere, but just by looking in his eyes I could tell he didn't mean a word. I _will_ make him sorry."

Keith sighed, "If you say so. But I have to warn you… I'm not going down easily."

Thea smirked at her opponent, "I would not want it any other way."

* * *

Skye pouted on the 'family room' couch in the empty house. He had been left behind just because of some stupid rule saying that dogs were not allowed in the stadium. He sighed loudly, how was he supposed to look after _his_ Thea and _his_ Dimitri if _he_ wasn't at the stadium?

He shifted on the couch and his paw hit the converter (remote control), flipping on the TV. The dog jumped at the sudden picture that appeared before him; he let out a low whuff, realizing that this 'magic box' was showing him what Thea was doing right then and there. He wagged his grey, cream, and white tail excitedly as the scene unfolded before his puppy-brown eyes.

* * *

"Come on Wolborg! Push him back!"

"Don't give them no quarter, Toolache! Fight him!"

The wolf growled as he fought against the wallaby as it grunted against his strength. Wolborg reared back onto his hind legs, raking his claws into Toolache, forcing the marsupial to back off and recover.

"All right Wolborg! Use the Snow Meteor NOW!" ordered Thea.

Wolborg howled in understanding as snow swirled around him, hardening into ice meteors and then shot towards the still recovering wallaby.

"Toolache! Dodge it!" Keith ordered, even though he knew it was hopeless. The attack hit dead-on, sending both blade and bit beast sprawling. The blonde boy crossed his fingers praying that his blade would be able to maintain momentum.

Luckily it did, but just barely. There was no point in fighting the truth; the blade was wobbling a little too dangerously for Keith to be confident in victory. If Thea got one more hit –good or not- would end this battle.

"Ready to admit defeat?" asked Thea, panting slightly.

"Not quite yet, mate," grinned the boy, "I still got one more trick left. Alright, Toolache, finish it!"

"Dodge it Wolborg and then take him out once and for all!" ordered Thea.

"A little over confident, are we?" Keith winked.

"Hardly," countered Thea, smirking at him.

The blades spun around one another, and then Toolache launched towards Wolborg. Following his shooters orders, the white wolf easily dodged the small wallaby and then delivered a hard blow to the yellow blade, sending it flying out of the dish and gaining a proud victory for the younger of the Volkov twins.

"And the winner of the semi-final match is THEA!" announced Daichi- though hardly anyone heard him. Everyone in the arena saw who won as soon as Wolborg had hit Toolache and had begun screaming and cheering wildly before words even left DJ Daichi's mouth.

Thea sighed in relief as she caught Wolborg and then smiled brightly at Keith, "You're really good."

"_I'm_ really good? Were you even paying attention mate? _You_ were really good- no, _you_ were AWESOME! I've never fought such a bey battle! We totally have to have a rematch sometime!" yelled Keith, never minding to shake Thea's hand as a congratulations- but hugged her instead. "So, now you get to teach Jay that lesson, eh?"

"Of course," agreed Thea as Keith released her from his hug. _That's right, Jayden, you're next._

* * *

"Oh man, Thee, I don't think I've ever seen you so in the zone as you were in that match! That was just incredible!" her brother complimented as she revamped her blade for the next match.

"It wasn't _that_ good," mumbled Thea, not understanding what the big whoop was about. Sure, Keith had been a great opponent; he certainly knew his way around the dish, but it was nothing in comparison to her next match, against the regional champion: Jayden Taylor.

But, apparently her brother did not think so. "Wasn't _that_ good? Obviously you need to see the playback, Thee, had I been fighting you in that match I would've been demolished!"

"You _were_ demolished in our match," teased Thea.

"That's beside that point," Dimitri grumbled, "my point is… mom and dad would be proud of you."

Thea smiled at her brother, "Well, if they will be proud of my because of that match, I can't wait to see their reaction from this next one."

"You're going in a bit… arrogantly, aren't you?"

"I'm just preparing myself to counter whatever verbal assault Jayden throws at me."

"Heh, it'll probably be somewhere along the lines of: it was merely a fluke that you beat my best friend." The blue haired twelve-year old even through in an imitation of Jayden's voice.

"Pretty good… though I think that he would never say that Keith is his best friend. More like: that idiot."

"Or twit."

"Ignoramus."

"Dunce."

"Dork."

"Cretin."

"Who's a cretin?"

The twins jumped at the voice and spun towards the door to their "locker room".

"Keith, man you can't sneak up on us like that," scolded Dimitri.

"Sorry mate, just wanted to see how the repairs were coming," Keith said while scratching the back of his head, "and who's a cretin."

"Uhhh… no one, why don't you take a seat," offered Thea, putting the finishing touches on Wolborg's blade.

"Be careful when fighting him, Thee, he's dangerous in the dish," Keith warned, not a hint of his mock accent in his voice -which made the twins realize that he was deathly serious.

"I will," Thea promised with a nod, "I know what I'm doing."

Keith smiled warmly, "I know you do, but you've never fought the likes of him before, I know you haven't."

"How?"

"Just by fighting you. So, I really, _really_, want you to be careful."

Thea nodded again and gathered her stuff together. "Wish me luck guys."

"Knock him dead, Thee!" cheered Dimitri, tackling her with a hug.

"Best of luck, mate!" and once again, the fake Australian accent was back and going strong.

* * *

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! HERE WE ARE AT THE BEYBLADING FINALS!" yelled DJ Daichi as the crowd roared in anticipation, "LET'S MEET THE SHOOTERS!"

"Well, AJ, looks like things haven't quite turned out as planned."

"You could say that again, Brad. Unlike what everyone predicted, it is Thea Volkov and Jayden Taylor fighting in the finals today!"

"Jayden's got a rock hard attitude and his Velociraptor bit beast Terrador is no different with his Stone Barrage attack."

"Let's hope Thea and her ice cold wolf bit beast Wolborg can keep up their winning streak with Wolborg's special Snow Meteor and Blizzalog attacks, AJ."

"For today's finals, we will be using the Vast Ocean trick dish."

"Oh man, Brad! Not only do we have an unexpected turnout for the finals, but we also have the completely submerged Vast Ocean!"

"I can see why you're excited AJ, the Vast Ocean dish is a dish that is completely filled with water, the shooters will have to be quick and careful to stop themselves from sinking beneath those waves."

"Shooters, are you ready? Three, two, one… LET IT RIIIIIIIIP!"

"GO TERRADOR!" snarled Jayden.

"Wolborg, Blizzalog!" Thea yelled as soon as her white blade left the launcher.

* * *

"Woah, Thea is wasting no time in starting this fight."

"Brad, you are not going to believe this, but she wasn't aiming at Terrador when she ordered that attack! Thea's completely frozen the water in the dish!"

* * *

"What? Are you scared that you won't be able to float?" mocked Jayden, "I knew you were of no skill. It was just a fluke that you beat that idiot, unfortunately you won't have the same luck with me."

"I didn't freeze the dish to prevent my sinking, I did it so we can have a _real_ fight –at test of our true strengths- the water would just get in the way if we kept it was it was," stated Thea while narrowing her eyes at the dark haired boy.

"Hn," snorted Jayden while thinking, _excuses._

"Well, are we going to fight, or are you just going to stand there and stare at me?" taunted Thea.

Jayden narrowed his eyes, "Terrador attack!"

"Go Wolborg!"

The two blades hit and locked, the two titans snarling at one another, snapping and clawing. They met each other blow for blow; Keith was right, Jayden wasn't like anyone she had fought before in her life. It was as if he knew her exact moves before she even made them. He was teasing her, she knew that, meeting her with each blow was just his way of flaunting the knowledge that he had the ability to end the fight in seconds.

And yet even knowing this, she didn't back down. His flaunting was also the biggest mistake he was making. He had warned her now and because of that, she was given time to think of a plan and maybe even wear him down. So, with a small smirk to herself, she continued to play his game, letting him think that she was oblivious to what he was doing.

"Is that really the best you can do?" asked Jayden with a snort, "it really was just a fluke that you made it this far, but then again, you _are_ a girl after all."

"If you want to make fun of my blading, at least base it on my skill and not my gender you sexist pig," snarled Thea.

"It makes no difference what I base it on, your skill isn't any better," sneered the boy.

_I'll show you skill,_ thought Thea darkly, "Wolborg! Snow Meteor!"

"Terrador, Stone Barrage!"

The two attacks hit their opponents' head on, sending the blades flying backwards. Beneath the spinning tops the ice creaked and groaned, but did not break or separate.

As soon as both shooters had established that their blades were still spinning, they launched towards each other again.

"GO WOLBORG!!"

"TAKE HER DOWN, TERRADOR!"

Just like before, the blades locked, digging their metal tips into the thick ice to prevent from sliding as one tried to overpower the other. Wolf and raptor wrestled with teeth bared, sinking into each other's flesh. Wolborg holding Terrador by the upper thigh of his left leg as Terrador got hold of Wolborg's scruff- both trying to escape the other's hold at the same time as trying to take the other down.

Thea watched attentively, trying to figure out her options and how she could gain the high ground. "Wolborg, pull out!" she ordered.

Needless to say, Jayden was caught off guard by the order. He had expected her to keep fighting against him to the point of exhaustion, leaving her open to be sent out of the dish. Yet, she was backing off.

"Lost your nerve already?" asked Jayden, mockingly.

Thea rolled her eyes, "Hardly. Wolborg, attack!"

After escaping the raptor's jaws and circling the reptile a few times, the wolf leapt back into the fray, catching the dinosaur in its blind spot, and thus sending the blade flying into the wall of the dish.

"Terrador!"

"How's that?"

What was once a brief look of shock on Jayden's face quickly turned into a broad smirk as he countered, "You tell me."

Thea couldn't stop her eyes from widening. "No way!"

Terrador's blade was still spinning as though it had just been launched into the dish seconds ago.

"This is starting to get boring," Jayden fake-yawned, "I think it's time I ended this."

"With what? You're wimpy little Stone Barrage attack? Oooh, I am _so_ scared," growled Thea, getting ready to order a counter from Wolborg.

"You don't honestly think I only have _one_ move," sneered Jayden, "Terrador! Rock Claw!"

The beast roared, readying the large claw on its right foot- the claw used for gauging it's enemies and prey in the wild.

"Wolborg! Take him down!" Thea unknowingly ordered, not seeing how the raptor shifted its weight, nor the dangerous tapping of that deadly claw.

Wolborg leapt towards its enemy, lips curled in back into a snarl. The front two paws were cast forward as the wolf jumped onto the dinosaur, claws slashing at the scaled flesh. But neither shooter nor raptor was deterred by this action.

"Now, Terrador!"

The raptor bucked twisting in a way that only those who walked on two legs could- in a way that the poor wolf could not react to or counter fast enough. Wolborg was forced to the ground, the dangerous large claw hovering close to the wolf's chest as the other strong leg held him down.

"NO! WOLBORG! FIGHT IT!" Thea cried pleadingly.

And fight it the wolf tried, but without the ability to roll off his back and use his own strong legs to push the beast off him, his fighting was in vain.

"It's no use, Volkov, this battle is done," growled Jayden darkly, "Terrador, finish it!"

Thea watched in horror as the beast ready the claw in a slashing motion, there was no way that Wolborg would be able to get up after that, and without her bit beast's power, the match was as good as lost. She squeezed her eyes shut, meaning to not want to watch the cruel action, and yet her parent's images passed through her mind at that moment… and she got an idea.

"WOLBORG! NOVAE ROG!"

* * *

"WHAT THE HECK IS SHE DOING!?" yelled Dimitri in alarm.

"Dimka, calm down," soothed his aunt.

"I WILL _NOT_ CALM DOWN! SHE DOESN'T KNOW THAT MOVE!"

* * *

However, it seemed that Wolborg _didn't_ know that Thea did not know Novae Rog, for, with a loud growl, he unleashed the move. Pillars of ice shot up from the dish as it encased Terrador's blade and catching the raptor off guard. The wolf connected his furry head with Terrador's lower jaw, freeing himself from the hold.

Thea was back in the game.

* * *

"She doesn't know the move, huh?" asked Miya, smiling.

Dimitri stared in awe at his sister and then yelled, "ALRIGHT! GO THEE!!!"

* * *

Wolborg spun to the other side of the dish, putting distance between himself and the reptile bit beast. The blade wobbled a little but managed to keep momentum to fend off Terrador's assault.

"How was that, hot shot?" grinned Thea, panting slightly from the exertion.

Jayden crossed his arms across his chest and let out a low, "Hn."

"I thought you were going to end this?" asked Thea with a mocking smirk.

"Trust me, I am," scoffed Jayden, "Terrador attack!"

"Wolborg, GO!"

The blades locked again; the flexibility of the two beasts allowed them to fight, push, slash, and bite without one fully overpowering the other. The ice continued to creak and moan beneath them and then a deafening crack filled the air. Lightning patterns started to form on the ice beneath the blades and spread further to the edges of the dish. As the cracks fled deeper beneath the ice's surface and shifted beneath the strength of the two combatants.

Her opponent may be oblivious to the power of ice- especially ice that was breaking- but she was no stranger to it. She lived in the harsh tundra of Russia, she new the strength of the frozen wilderness, if they didn't finish this fight soon, both of their blades would be sunk.

_She_ had to finish this. "Wolborg! Push him back!"

"Terrador! End this!"

The blades pushed off of one another and then raced back at one another, planning to gain speed and finally over throw each other. The blades connected with a loud bang; another crack from the ice shot upwards and spray from the embedded ocean shot up through the cracks, shielding the two blades from view.

"This could be it, folks!" Daichi yelled in excitement.

There were more cracks, more spray, and then the fateful splash of something entering the water. Was it one blade or both? When the cracks subsided, there was the sound of a blade still spinning; there was a victor in this match.

"And the champion is…"

All eyes were locked on the dish, waiting for the spray to subside.

"Jayden!"

Cheers and wild clapping met the announcement as well as a loud, "WHAT!?" from Dimitri.

As soon as the results of the finals had been decided, Kai and one of his subordinates made their way down to the dish just as Thea and Jayden were about to leave. "Thea, stay here," Kai ordered as he passed her; his subordinate relying the same message to Jayden.

Daichi offered his microphone to Kai, but the chairman just shook his head and nodded towards his subordinate, signaling that he was the one to make the announcement.

The man cleared his throat and began to speak. "The chairman of the BBA and the rest of the company have come to a decision towards who will be on the new team. The team will consist of Keith Walker, Dimitri Volkov, Thea Volkov, Jayden Taylor, and Aya Iwasaki."

Murmurs of confusion sounded through the stadium.

"Who is this Aya?" Dimitri asked a loud.

There was a brief nod from Kai to his subordinate as the microphone was handed back to Daichi.

As Keith and Dimitri approached the center of the stadium, they immediately noticed a long black haired girl with thick square-like glasses.

"What's up uncle?" Dimitri asked, "and who's the chick?"

"This is Aya, she will be your technician, much like how Kenny was for the Blade Breakers and the BBA Revolution," Kai explained, "I need you all to head over to the locker room, there's one more person on this team that you need to meet but he can introduce himself. "

The five children quickly moved to obey the chairman, with Aya giving herself proper introductions and exclaiming to Thea that she hoped they could be best friends and that she liked her brother's accent. Waiting in the locker room was a boy in his late teens. He smiled at the five kids, walking up to them with an outstretched hand.

"How are you doing? My name is Graham Cooper, I'll be your coach for this Championship. I was hired specially by Chairman Hiwatari, so, it's up to me to tell you who your partner is going to be, of course with helpful suggestions from the Chairman."

"_Graham, I want you to put Dimitri with Jayden and Keith with Thea. The conflicting personalities between the my niece and Jayden are good for the team, but it would tear everything apart if they were partners."_

"But first things first, I want you to understand one thing. There will be separate rooms for each partner at the hotels that we stay at, which means you will be staying with your partner in the room, alone. I trust you will act responsibly."

"Except for Thee, right? She'll be staying with Aya in every hotel we stay at?" asked Dimitri.

"Nope, she too, will be staying with her partner," smiled Graham, "and the partners are: Keith and Dimitri, and Thea and Jayden."

"WHAT!?" the exclamation came from all three boys, two out of worry for Thea's wellbeing, the other out of disgust of being paired with _her_. Thea, however, was too shocked to say anything.

"You heard me."

"Yeah, but… why couldn't she be paired with me? Or Keith even!?"

Graham crossed his arms and closed his eyes, replying with a smug smile. "If you have problems with the pairings take it up with the chairman." He knew that even if Kai was Dimitri's uncle, the boy would _never_ approach him on something he thinks was his decision. His theory, however, was proven false when the door to the locker room banged open and he opened his eyes to see Dimitri's retreating back.

"AH!" with a startled yell, Graham chased after him, hoping to stop the boy before he reached Chairman Hiwatari.

* * *

Kai walked towards the exit of the stadium, his subordinates had long since left- thank God- and now he could just get back to his office, get some extra time at work and then head home. It would be a nice and peaceful-

"UUUUUNNNNNNCCCCLLLLLEEEEE!!"

Scratch that. Kai turned around to see his nephew running up to him… and his appointed coach chasing after him. He sighed heavily, waiting for what was to come.

"Chairman I am so sorry! He is just overreacting."

"_I'm_ overreacting! I wanna know what the big deal is!"

And just like that, the two were off. Yelling at each other over something that Kai had absolutely no idea about. Yet a strange thought crossed Kai's mind, where did Dimitri get all this energy from? Looking at his genetics, it seemed impossible for a boy from their family line -and even from Tala's- to have so much as an ounce of the energy the boy before him had.

"ENOUGH! I can't understand a word of what either of you are saying!" Kai yelled.

"WHY ARE THEA AND JAYDEN PARTNERS!?" demanded Dimitri.

Kai paused looking at Graham, "What?"

"Uhhh… Chairman may I speak with you in private sir?" requested Graham uneasily.

"Sure, I would love to hear what you have to say," Kai said a little more coldly than he meant to.

* * *

"I can't believe that you and that jerk were paired together," Dimitri fumed as they sat in the living room of the Hiwatari estate. "And that uncle agreed to it! He knew how much you –we- hate him!"

"You sound like a girl at her time of the month, Dimka, just drop it. I don't like it anymore than you do, but uncle knows what he's doing," Thea defended.

"Thea, Dimitri, the phone is for you," Miya said, "it's your mom."

"Go ahead, Thee, go have your girl chat with mom," sighed Dimitri as his sister got up off the couch.

"Hi momma," Thea greeted smiling into the phone.

"Hey sweet pea, oh man have you got skill now," Amy said encouragingly.

"Yeah, but I still lost," Thea sighed, sinking into a chair in the kitchen.

"Everyone has their wins and loses, your father and I are no different. Your time will come, sweetheart, and when it does you will shine."

"You sound really cheesy momma," laughed Thea.

"I'm a mom, I'm entitled to be cheesy," Amy grinned.

"There's more mom. I got paired with my opponent from the finals… and he's such a jerk and I-"

"It's alright baby. Things will look up and you know, that if you ever need your dad and I, we're only a phone call away. I made a promise to you, remember?"

"Yeah, I know."

"So, where are you and your brother off to next?"

"The BBA Guardians… are off to Argentina."

* * *

blackamber- I will begin writing the next chapter tonight so please be patient. And once again I am sorry that this was so late.

Dimitri- Don't forget to R&R


	5. For the Love of Music Filler Chapter

Okay, well, I felt since it's been SO long since I've updated (I promise I am working on another chapter) I will upload this special. I feel that this needs some explanation. I LOVE Buffy the Vampire Slayer and was recently listening to the music from the musical and then had the crazy idea of using it as a chapter. And thus, this was born. There was a version before this one... but it got lost somehow... and it made me sad because there was one part of the old one that was much funnier than in this one... ANYWHO... this is my treat for all of you who have been very patient with me and I hope you will continue to be patient with me as I struggle to get through school and updating this story. I love you all!

-blackamber

P.S. This will, eventually, line-up with the actual story

P.P.S. Standing/Wish I Could Stay/ Walk Through The Fire were total pains in the ass to write out... and you will see why

P.P.S. There were some mistakes in here that were just driving me mad... once again I beg your patience, I am almost finished the next REAL chapter.

* * *

Previously on Stand:

"Jayden, I can do this let me take him on!" Thea begged.  
"Fine," her partner sighed, reclaiming his seat, "but if we lose, it's your head."

~~  
"This could be it folks!" Daichi announced.  
"No it's not!" snarled Thea's opponent.  
"Wolborg!" Thea screamed before everything went white and the last thing she heard was her brother yelling, "THEA!"

* * *

(Opening Music -Buffy Theme)

Thea stepped out of the hotel bathroom, dressed and ready for bed; she didn't bother looking towards her 'partner' as she slipped beneath the floral print of the comforter. She could hear Dimitri snoring through the thin wall behind her head, forcing her to pull the pillow over her ears to drown out the sound.

Jayden and Skye were lucky, they had fallen asleep _before_ snore-zilla; Thea sometimes wondered how she ever slept in the same room as him. She briefly had the evil thought of waking Jayden up and making him suffer the snores with her. But then thought better of it, for she would surely get an earful for her disturbing his sleep.

Though she was in luck, for after an hour or two the pillow managed to drown out enough of the snoring to allow Thea to drift off into a easy sleep.

Morning came much too quickly for the younger of the Valkov twins, but she knew her duty, and opened her eyes, ready to wake Jayden up if necessary. When she left her bed, Jayden was still fast asleep, however, when she was fully dressed and exited the bathroom, Jayden was nowhere to be found and all there was left of him was a note.

"Dear loser,  
the Chairman wants to meet with us at the exit of Kerry. Be there.  
Jayden"

"Jerk," she muttered. If you thought Thea was acting as she always did, you would be greatly mistaken. She has not felt the same since the accident in Argentina. Now, even in Ireland, halfway through the tournament, she still didn't feel like her old self.

Gathering her shooter and blade, she took Skye's leash and ran out into the Irish county, only to come across a group of young children bey-battling; or rather, four kids demolishing other kids blades.

"Hey! Care to take on a real challenge?" demanded Thea, folding her arms across her chest, "or are you to scared?" Skye gave a small woof, as if he were taunting the children along side his master.

"Come on guys! We can take her!" the obvious leader of the four.

All five shooters launched their blades and just as things were getting good, mysterious music began to play and Thea began to sing.

"_Every single night, the same arrangement,  
I go out and fight the fight.  
Still I always feel this strange estrangement,  
Nothing here is real, nothing here is right.  
I've been making shows of trading blows  
Just hoping no one knows  
That I've been go-ing through the motions,  
Walking through the part,  
Nothing seems to penetrate my -heart."_

Her Wolborg was easily holding off all four blades, the strength of her bit beast much more powerful than any plain old beyblade that these kids were using.

"_I was always brave and kind of righteous,  
Now I find I'm wa-vering.  
Crawl out of your grave, you'll find this fight  
Just doesn't mean a thing."_

One of the boys managed to push her Wolborg back, and smirking he sang.

"_She ain't got that swing."_

Thea easily returned his smirk with one of her own as her Wolborg fought back and sent the blade flying out of the "dish".

"_Thanks for noticing."_

There was a brief nod between the last three boys before they advanced on her blade.

**"**_**She does pretty well with fiends from hell,  
But lately we can tell  
That she's just going through the motions  
Faking it somehow."**_

Thea easily knocked two of the boys out and was left with just their leader. Wolborg and the boy's blade circled one another for a bit.

"_She's not even half the girl she-"_

Narrowing her eyes, Thea mentally ordered Wolborg to knock him out, which the wolf readily did, sending the plastic blade barreling into the boy's stomach- undoubtedly bruising it.

"_Owww…"_

Thea sighed, catching her Wolborg and turning away from the four boys.

"_Will I stay this way forever?  
Sleepwalk through my life's endeavor."_

The children who were getting their blades trashed by the four bullies approached her, cheering:

"_How can we repay-"_

Thea put her hand up, silencing them as she walked towards the end of the town of Kerry.

"_Whatever!  
I don't want to b-e  
Going through the motions,  
Losing all my drive.  
I can't even see,  
If this is really me  
And I just want to b-e  
A-live."_

Thea paused on her venture to the meeting point and shook her head. _What the heck was that?_ she asked herself as she and Skye continued towards their meeting place. As she predicted, she was not the last member of the team to arrive at the point, their coach was still MIA.

But her Uncle, Keith, Dimitri, Jayden, and even Aya was there waiting.

"What happened to you, sis?" Dimitri asked, his arm slung across Aya's shoulders.

"Nothing… I just got held up by… something- hey… did any of you… spontaneously break out into song?" she asked.

"You too?" Aya asked and a look of relief crossed her face as Thea nodded, "I thought it was just me."

"Well, mate, you're not alone in that department," Keith said.

"It was just so strange," Dimitri started before the rest of the team all began to talk at once about their experiences that morning.

Aya: It was so weird, I was just sitting by the front desk-  
Jayden: And then these weird girls started talking to me-  
Keith: Next to this old lady who was talking about cats-  
Dimitri: And the blueberry muffins-  
Aya: Everyone around was staring-  
Jayden: Then they started talking to me-  
Keith: So many cats-  
Dimitri: Covered in strawberry sauce and whip cream!

"Woah! Dimka, what are you talking about?" Thea demanded.

"The singing… I was talking to the hotel's chef when I broke out into song," her brother explained.

"Ah…"

Aya: Oh! And then these guests were checking in-  
Jayden: And those girls started fawning-  
Keith: And she brought out pictures-  
Dimitri: And then he put rasberries on-

"ENOUGH!" yelled Kai, rendering the BBA Guardians silent. "So let me get this straight, all of you experienced this?"

A nod came from all five children.

"Thea, what did you sing about?" Aya asked.

"Oh… uh… I don't remember… something about beyblades and stuff," Thea lied.

"We need to figure out how this happened- why this happened. 'Cause it was just too weird and I for one don't want it happening again," Jayden said.

"I'm sure it was just a one time thing, the chances of it happening again are slim to-"

"_I've got a theory, that it's a demon  
A dancing demon… neh, something isn't right there."_

The twins, Keith and Jayden looked at the Chairman –the twins' Uncle- in alarm. He was definitely _not_ the type of person to just break out into song. And surprisingly enough –or maybe not so surprising- Aya was next.

"_I've got a theory, some kid is dreaming  
And we're all stuck inside his wacky Broadway nightmare."_

Dimitri sighed, pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose.

"_I've got a theory we should work this ou-t."_

Everyone but Thea –yes that does include Jayden as well- broke out into song with the Chairman and Aya.

**"**_**It's getting eerie, what's this cheery singing all abo-ut?"**_

Dimitri suddenly got very excited as he rounded on Aya and Thea.

"_It could be witches, some evil witches."_

Noticing that he was accidentally pointing at the two girls and was now receiving a _very_ dark look from both sister and romantic interest, he jumped to defend himself.

"_Which is ridiculous 'cause witches they were persecuted  
Wicca, good, and love the earth and women power  
And I'll be over here."_

The older of the Valkov twins retreated to behind Jayden and Keith. Keith took a step forward, looking very serious.

"_I've got a theory, it could be bunnies…"_

All eyes locked on Keith in confusion. What the hell was he talking about? Jayden rolled his eyes, offering his own opinion.

"_I've got a theor-"_

However, he did not get any further than that, for Keith stepped up to reoffer his suggestion by interrupting Jayden's.

"_Bunnies aren't just cute like everybody supposes,  
They've got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses.  
And what's with all the carrots?  
What do they need such good eyesight for anywa-y?  
Bunnies, bunnies, it must be bunnies!"_

Jayden rolled his eyes again and struck Keith across the back of his head muttering, "Idiot."

Keith, while nursing his new bump, gasped out one more suggestion.

"_Or maybe midgets."_

Aya sighed, looking towards the Chairman and the twins' Uncle.

"_I've got a theory we should work this fa-st."_

Kai nodded, joining in with her.

**"**_**Because it clearly could get serious before it's passed."**_

Thea, for the first time since the song began, stepped forward, shrugging her shoulders.

"_I've got a theory- it doesn't matte-r.  
What can't we face if we're together?  
What's in this place that we can't weather?  
Apocalypse? We've all been there.  
The same old trips. Why should we care?"_

A nod passed through the team as they joined her, all but her Uncle, Kai.

**"**_**What can't we do if we get in it?  
We'll work it through within a minute.  
We have to try. We'll pay the price.  
It's do or die."**_

Thea forced a smile, recalling the time Wolborg had been all but demolished in a battle and her more recent trip to the hospital at the end of the tournament in Argentina.

"_Hey, I've died twice."_

Dimitri, Aya, and Keith laughed at her joke, and now Kai had decided to join in with them.

**"**_**What can't we face if we're together?** (Kai: What can't we face?)  
**What's in this place that we can't weather?** (If we're together.)  
**There's nothing we can't face."**_

Keith sighed, looking fearfully towards the rolling Irish hills.

"_Except for bunnies."_

"Okay, what is it with you and bunnies?" Aya demanded from Keith.

"I don't… know," he admitted, "I mean, I like bunnies! I had a pet one when I was younger."

"Alright, obviously it wasn't a one time thing, so we need to figure out how to make it stop," Jayden said.

"Well, let's look at what we know. It happens spontaneously... now is it only us or do other people experience it as well?" asked Keith.

All eyes turned towards the town where a man had just stepped out of a Drycleaners holding a clean yellow shirt, smiling brightly as he opened his mouth wide.

"_They got the mustard ou-t."_

Others around him also were smiling brightly as they echoed the man's statement, dancing with different colored shirts, freshly cleaned, from the Drycleaners.

"_They got the musta-rd OU-T!"_

The team blinked at the scene.

"It's not just us," Thea stated.

"Okay, Graham has the day off today, so I'll give you guys the day off as well. I'm going back to the Ireland office to do some research. You kids search around town and call me if you find anything," Kai ordered, heading back to Kerry.

"Can we get breakfast first?" asked Dimitri as his stomach growled loudly.

"You spent most of the morning in the kitchen, and you didn't eat a single thing?" asked Aya.

Dimitri shook his head, earning a laugh from the subject of his affection.

"Okay, how about, Thea and Jayden will ask the nearby farmers and search the nearby farms, while Keith searches the town and Dimitri and I will join him after we get him some breakfast," suggested Aya.

"Sounds good," agreed Jayden, "let's go loser." He turned and walked further away from Kerry with a fuming Thea following behind him.

Though, even if she was angry at him for his "nickname" for her, she could not stop herself from getting caught up in the gorgeous Irish landscape in the mid-morning light. Ireland really was a beautiful and gorgeous land. Her anger quickly subsided as she got caught up in its beauty and even found herself attracted, once again, to the dashingly good looks of Jayden Taylor.

Although the weather was a little on the cold side in comparison to the weather they had experienced in Japan and Argentina –though no where near as cold as in Russia- the sun made everything so bright and almost fantastical. And here they were, Thea and Jayden, two polar opposites alone.

Jayden hadn't said anything to her, he didn't have to; in fact, if he had, it would have ruined everything. For the time being, she was just content to look at him while he walked ahead of her. She couldn't help but stare at him, and unknowingly to the subject of _her_ affection, although she did not know why he was, music and singing began to sound through the Irish countryside.

"_I lived my life in shadow, never the sun on my face.  
It didn't seem so sad though, I figured that was my place.  
Now I'm bathed in light. Something just isn't right."_

She smiled, picking up her pace so that she was walking along side him. He still seemed to not notice her nor the music, but that did not stop Thea.

"_I'm under your spell.  
How else can it be, anyone would notice me?  
It's magic, I can te-ll.  
How you set me free, brought me out so easily."_

Jayden suddenly stopped and Thea thought that maybe he finally heard her singing and felt strangely embarrassed. However, once again he seemed to fail to notice her, or at least her singing. He did notice her, for he beckoned her over to another spot.

"Take a look at this," he told her, pointing towards a creek that ran through the area, and up to an old castle, "I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this."

Thea smiled at him, and nodded in agreement, though her eyes did not follow the creek to the old ruins.

"_I saw a world enchanted, spirits and charms in the air.  
I always took for granted, I was the only one there.  
But your power shone, brighter than any I've known._

_I'm under your spell.  
Nothing I can do, you just took my soul with you.  
You worked you charms so we-ll,  
Finally I knew, everything I dreamed was true.  
You made me belie-ve."_

Jayden looked back towards Thea and noticed how close they were standing. With an uncomfortable cough, he grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the breathtaking scene. "Come on, loser, we should get to work."

Thea's eyes narrowed at his calling her a 'loser' again, but just like before, she got caught up in the beauty of the land, the warmth of his rough, calloused hands. Her anger subsided, especially since he did nothing to separate their entwined hands.

"_The moon to the tide, I can feel you inside.  
I'm under your spell.  
Surging like the sea, floating here so helplessly.  
I break with every swe-ll,  
Lost in ecstasy, spread beneath my willow tree.  
You make me comple-te  
You make me com-plete  
You make me com-plete  
You make me com-plete."_

"Did you say something Thee?" Jayden asked, stopping and turning towards her.

"What? No, nothing," she responded.

"Huh… could've sworn I heard something," he muttered.

"Hey… you just called me Thee," she commented with a smile.

Jayden narrowed his eyes, "What of it?"

"Nothing, except, you _never_ call me Thee."

Jayden sighed and quickly let go of her hand, realizing he had still been holding it. "Come on, you're wasting time."

Thea sighed, _So much for that. I don't even know why I like him. He's so cold, like a dead man. I should just give up on him, it wouldn't hurt since no one knows about my attraction to this… jerk._

* * *

"No place in town is still serving breakfast, Dimka, why not get lunch?" Aya asked as they made their way through Kerry.

"Because! I'm craving omlettes," he stated, leading her to the in town farmer's market, "how about we pick up some eggs, and I'll make some omlettes in my room. I have a hot plate and pans."

Aya smiled at him and said, "Okay."

Dimitri picked out four eggs from the market, paid for them with the Euro's given to him by his Uncle.

Aya offered to take the eggs from him just as music began to play in the background. She looked deep into his sapphire blue eyes, adoring his short, two-shades-of-blue hair.

"_This is the man that I plan to entangle, isn't he fine?  
My claim to fame was to maim and to mangle; vengeance was mine!  
But I'm out of the biz, the name I made I'll trade for his.  
The only problem is- I'll never tell."_

Dimitri glanced at her as they walked back to the hotel. He could hear the music –unlike how it was with Jayden and Thea- and he could hear her sing. In fact, the strange… whatever it was that was creating the music, had caught hold of him again, and now, he too was singing again.

"_She is the one, she's such wonderful fun, such passion and grace.  
Warm in the night, when I'm right in her tight embrace- tight embrace!  
I'll never let her go, the love we've known can only grow.  
There's just one thing that- no, I'll never tell."_

They both looked at each other, singing together.

**"'**_**Cause there's nothing to te-ll."**_

The music picked up as they reached the doors of the hotel. Aya skipped towards the elevator thinking of the previous night.

"_He snores."_

Dimitri's eyebrow twitched in annoyance at her 'statement' and then cruelly recalled her issues when joining in on the team's training.

"_She wheezes."_

Aya flinched and turned towards him, glaring.

"_Say house work and he freezes."_

Dimitri's eyes locked on the other things they had picked up from the market, like the cheese she had chosen.

"_She eats these skeezy cheeses that I can't describe."_

Aya stepped into the elevator, thinking of all the times she _tried_ to have a conversation with him.

"_I talk, he breezes."_

However, Dimitri smiled smugly at her. Perhaps knowing her _too_ well.

"_She doesn't know what please is."_

At those words, Aya turned very snarky, and Dimitri was just lucky that no one else was in the elevator or had called the elevator to their floor.

"_His penis got diseases from a Chumash tribe."_

Both leaned back against the elevators wall as it neared its destination, singing.

**"**_**The vibe gets kind of scary."**_

The doors opened and Dimitri was the first to leave the enclosed space, reaching for his keys.

"_Like she thinks I'm ordinary."_

Aya sighed, following further behind him.

"_Like it's all just temporary."_

Dimitri smiled playfully, winking at her. Yet, it was probably best that he didn't say anything. But God knows, that when you are in song, you sing the first thing that comes to mind.

"_Like her toes are kinda hairy."_

Aya glared at him but nonetheless joined in.

**"**_**But it's all very well.  
'Cause God knows I'll never tell."**_

Dimitri opened the door and both walked into the painfully salmon colored room with the same floral printed comforters that were in Thea and Jayden's room –only they got the better color for their room.

Speaking of Thea, Aya couldn't help but notice that whenever something seemed to go wrong, Dimitri would immediately retreat to Thea's side, just like Xander would with Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

"_When things get rough he just hides behind his 'Buffy'.  
Now look he's getting huffy.  
'Cause he knows that I know."_

Dimitri glared at her as he fished out the pan, fighting the urge to hit her with it and yelling that he does _not_ hide behind Thea.

"_She clings, she's needy, she's also really greedy.  
She never-"_

Aya, having enough of his verbal assault, decided to interrupt him there.

"_His eyes are beady!"_

Dimitri growled again, rounding on her.

"_This is my verse, hello- She-"_

Once again, he was interrupted by the once subject of his affection as she announced: "Look at me, I'm dancing crazy!"

It was supposed to be a distraction, meaning to interrupt and shut him up. It did just that, but it also earned a laugh from the boy she was trying to annoy.

In her dancing, she failed to notice Keith's bag's loose strap that had wrapped around her ankle until it forced her to fall. If it hadn't been for the Russian boy's quick movements, her dancing could have ended a lot worse than her just simply falling into his chest.

Dimitri smiled down at her as they both sang.

**"**_**You kno-w."**_

Dimitri continued helping her to the bed and letting her sit down as he took the eggs from her. He pointed the spatula he had retrieved at her, singing:

"_You're quite the charmer."_

Aya sighed dreamily.

"_My knight in armor."_

He turned back to her, leaning back against the counter that the hotplate was on.

"_You're the cutest of the Scoobies,  
With your lips as red as rubies,  
And your firm, yet supple-"_

Dimitri paused, realizing where his line of thought was leading him. He quickly revised what to say.

"_Uh, tight embrace!"_

He turned back to the hotplate, cracking two of the eggs into the pan.

Aya sat quietly watching as he focused on the breakfast, but soon she could not detain herself from the pull of the song.

"_He's swell."_

Dimitri glanced over his shoulder at her.

"_She's sweller."_

Aya smiled knowingly.

"_He'll always be my feller."_

He ran a hand through his cropped hair, sighing heavily.

"_That's why I'll never tell her that I'm petrified."_

Aya's smile turned to a look of unease.

"_I've read this ta-le, there's wedding then betrayal,  
I know there'll come the day I want to run and hide."_

Dimitri turned his attention away from the cooking eggs as they sang:

**"**_**I lied, I said it's easy.  
I've tried, but there's these fears I can't quell."**_

He wore a begging look in his eyes.

"_Is she looking for a pot of gold?"_

Aya, lying completely down on Keith's bed, touched her face.

"_Will I look good when I've gotten old?"_

Dimitri tried to refocus on the eggs, but he just couldn't.

"_Will our lives become too stressful if I'm never that successful?"_

Aya groaned in fear.

"_Will I get so old and wrinkly that I'll look like David Brinkley?"_

Dimitri cast a look upwards.

"_Am I crazy?"_

Aya sat up again, staring at him.

"_Am I dreaming?"_

Dimitri then cast another look over his shoulder at her, not noticing the smoke that was bellowing up from the pan.

"_Am I marrying a demon?"_

Once again, they broke out in song together.

**"**_**We could really raise the beam in making marriage a hell.  
So thank God I'll never tell.**_**  
**_**I swear that I'll never tell."**_

Dimitri still did not notice the smoking eggs as he mimed the action of zipping his mouth closed.

"_My lips are sealed."_

Aya held up her right hand as though she were taking an oath.

"_I take the fifth."_

Since neither were paying attention to the eggs, both failed to noticed them burst into flames as Dimitri continued by singing:

"_Nothing to see! move it along!"_

And they both finished with:

**"**_**I'll never- tell!"**_

"OH MY GOD! DIMKA THE EGGS ARE ON FIRE!" shrieked Aya.

"What? OH, CRAP!" Dimitri yelled, grabbing the pan and thrusting it into the bathroom sink while turning the cold water on. "Aya!" he called from the bathroom, "can you call my Uncle… we really need to figure this out before we get ourselves killed."

Aya nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her, and fished out her cell phone. "Chairman Hiwatari? Hi… um… Dimitri and I really need to talk to you."

* * *

"It's horrible!" cried Dimitri.

"It's torture!" agreed Aya at the same time.

"It's a nightmare!"

"It's a plague!"

"It's like a nightmare about a plague!"

"It's insanity!"

"I can't stop! I try but stuff kept coming out, and-"

"The music just starts playing and it's like I can't keep a secret anymore and-"

"MY EYES ARE NOT BEADY!"

"MY TOES ARE NOT HAIRY!"

Dimitri made a noise that was a cross between a growl and a groan. "Uncle, you gotta stop it."

Kai sighed heavily, "Believe me, I'm trying. But this is a rare case, I mean, I don't think this has ever happened before." He pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose, thinking, _Why couldn't something like this ever happen when Dickenson was Chairman?_

"So, were stuck like this? For how long?" Dimitri demanded.

"And what's worse is that our songs will never be hits! We're singing, like, retro, Broadway style!" complained Aya, "we'll never get famous this way." Her face turned into a pout as she crossed her arms, her glasses threatening to slip down her nose.

"_I've been having a bad, bad day."_

"Come on Uncle, you've been working at in your office with that high tech computer, you gotta have something," begged Dimitri.

"Well, I was going to send our situation to Kenny, see what he can dig up. He's far better with a computer than I am," Kai admitted.

"_Come on, won't you put that pad away?"_

"How long will that take?" Aya asked.

"It's hard to say, a couple of hours, a day, a week, a month," Kai said with a sigh, "it all depends on-" He paused, looking towards where a woman seemed to be bartering with a police officer.

"_I'm asking you please no!  
It isn't right, it isn't fair,  
There was no parking anywhere,  
I think that hydrant wasn't there.  
Why can't you let it go?!  
I think I've paid more than my share,  
I'm just a poor girl, don't you care.  
Hey, I'm not wearing underwear."_

"Okay… I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Dimitri said, shaking his head and following his Uncle down the road as both Kai and Aya agreed.

"You were saying, Mr. Chairman," pressed Aya.

"Yes, well, it all depends on how long it takes for Kenny to crack this," Kai finished. "Dimitri, where is your sister?"

"With Jayden, there going to ask some of the local farmers if they've noticed anything strange happening or if this started after something happened," Aya explained.

"Skye's with them," Dimitri added as though it were important.

* * *

"Well, that was a waste of time," Jayden grumbled as he rejoined Thea and Skye beneath a tree in the front of a farmhouse.

"I could have told you that," Thea said, "you have yet to grasp the Irish accent well enough to have a conversation with _anybody_."

"You want to try?" countered Jayden.

"Why talk when we can just search?" Thea said, "come on Skye, we'll need your nose." Thea and Skye got to their feet, walking towards the barn.

"Thea, you can't just walk in there," Jayden stated.

"Just watch me," she grinned, slipping into the barn.

"You really think we'll find anything here?" Jayden asked, after following his partner into the barn and looking around the rafters of the barn.

"Don't know, but it's worth a shot," shrugged Thea.

They searched in silence for a while, but unfortunately for Jayden, Thea had something bugging her.

"Jayden… why do you hate me?" she asked, pulling Skye off of the scent of a barn cat.

Jayden stopped his searching and turned to her. "I don't hate you."

"Really? 'Cause you certainly act like it," she stated.

"I don't… hate you, alright."

"You say it, but your actions say another thing, tell me why?"

"Just drop it," he growled, turning away from her and throwing bales of hay harshly out of his way.

"What's with you? You're all bad moody all of a sudden," she remarked.

"It's nothing."

Thea gave him a look and placed her hands on her hips; he knew she was giving him a look even without looking, so he repeated –in a forced happier tone- "It's nothing."

That did nothing to quell her curiosity, for she proceeded to ask, "What?"

Jayden sighed, giving up. "Thea…

_I died, so many years ag-o.  
But you can make me feel like it isn't s-o.  
And why you come to be with me, I think I finally know, mmm."_

Thea couldn't help but give him a confused look, where was this coming from.

Jayden walked up to her, smirking at her.

"_You're scared, ashamed of what you fe-el,  
And you can't tell the ones you love, you know they couldn't de-al.  
A whisper in a dead man's ear, it doesn't make it real."_

The look in Thea's eyes confirmed his words. His eyes had a pained look in it as he nodded at her.

"_That's great, but I don't want to pla-y.  
'Cause being with you touches me, more than I can say.  
And since I'm only dead to you, I'm saying stay awa-y.  
And let me rest in peace." _

Jayden's expression changed as he stormed around the barn, even smashing a plant pot against the wall of the barn.

"_Let me rest in peace, let me get some sleep!  
Let me take my love and bury it in a hole six foot deep!  
I can lay my body down but I can't find my sweet release!  
So let me rest in peace!"_

Thea was shocked, did he just… confess to her?

He approached her again and as a reaction to his mini temper tantrum she backed up, but was caught off guard again when he dropped down to his knees at her feet.

"_You know, you got a willing slave.  
And you just love to play the thought that you might misbehave.  
But 'til you do, I'm telling you,  
Stop visiting my grave,  
And let me rest in peace."_

She retreated from the barn and Jayden quickly chased after her, Skye right at his heels, unsure what he should do about the situation. Jayden easily caught up to her and grabbed her arm very gentle, knowing how rough his trained calloused hands could be. He gave her a gentle look, letting his free hand travel up and caressed her face.

"_I know I should go,  
But I follow you like a man possessed.  
There's a traitor here beneath my breast,  
And it hurts more than you've ever guessed.  
If my heart could beat it would break my chest."_

Thea flinched away from his touch, unsure of what to do. He _was_ confessing to her and yet, at the same time, he was telling her to get lost.

Once again, Jayden's eyes turned cold.

"_But I can see you're unimpressed.  
So leave me be,"_

He stormed past her and she could feel another tantrum coming on, but why was he so mad. _He_ was the one telling _her_ to get lost, how was she supposed to act? Nonetheless, having to work with him, she went after him.

"_And let me rest in peace, let me get some sleep!  
Let me take my love and bury it in a hole six foot deep!  
I can lay my body down but I can't find my sweet release,  
Let me rest in peace!"_

With some difficultly, she did manage to stop him, only to have him practically yell in her face:

"_Why won't you let me rest in peace!"_

To say the least, Thea had finally reached breaking point and yelled back the word, "FINE!" before storming away from him.

Jayden blinked and shook his head, not knowing what had come over him, but he realized what he had done when he saw Thea's retreating figure. "Thea wait! I didn't mean it!"

Thea wouldn't wait though, she didn't even look back, she just kept walking. Subconsciously, she made her way back to the creek that she and Jayden had stopped at. She let out a groan, wondering why she had to stop here of all places. She looked down into the creek and saw something that she really didn't like.

At first it confused her, for it was her five year old sister, obviously in Kerry, Ireland, as well… and walking alone. The first question was, why was she here? The second being, why could she see her in the water? And as if by magic, she could hear her tiny voice singing:

"_Does anybody even notice?  
Does anybody even care?"_

And then the unthinkable happened. With a loud scream an unseen foe grabbed her from the darkness and then the vision faded.

Thea was off and running in an instant, her sister needed help and she couldn't do it alone. She needed her brother and Uncle. No… she just needed her Uncle. Yes! Her Uncle could do it all on his own, with him, her sister would be safe in no time.

* * *

Cali whimpered in the darkness of this strange place. She didn't know how she got here or why she was taken. She _had_ tried to run, but failed for the strange man had easily over shot her short legged gait.

The man was certainly stranger than the place, for he wore a black mask and obviously a black wig. His complete person was covered from head to toe, not a millimeter of flesh was uncovered. He smirked beneath his mask as he approached the little girl as a somewhat jazzy sounding style of music played through his hideout.

"_Why'd you run away? Don't you like my style?  
Why don't you come and play? I guarantee you a great, big smile!  
I come from the imagination.  
And I'm here strictly by her invocation.  
So what do you say? Why don't we dance a while?"_

Cali looked hopeful, the stranger sounded nice now that he was singing. "I like to pway… and dance."

The stranger smiled again, but a much darker one this time.

"_I'm the hottest thing, I'm the twist and shout!  
When you gotta sing, when you gotta let it out!  
You call me and I come a running.  
I turn the music on; I bring the fun in.  
Now we're partying, that's what it's all about._

'_Cause I know what you fe-el girl.  
I know just what you feel, gi-rl."_

Cali smiled at the man, "So you're like a good man? Bwinging the fun in?"

The man tutted her for interrupting his song, but nevertheless nodded at her question. However, the truth of his nod was hidden beneath that mask, and she did not have the power to see past it.

"_All these melodies, they go on too long.  
Then that energy starts to come on way too strong.  
All those hearts lay open, that must sting,  
Plus some customers just die combusting.  
That's the penalty when life is bu-ut a song!"_

"Umm… Mr. Masked Man… how'd you get here?" Cali asked.

Once again, the man tutted her into silence, "Just you wait, little lady, and I'll tell ya."

"_She brought me down and doomed this town  
So when we blow this scene,  
Back we will go to my kingdom below,  
And you will be my queen!_

'_Cause I know what you fe-el girl."_

Cali began to panic, she may be only five, but she knew what that meant.

"_No you see, you and me wouldn't be very regal!"_

The stranger winked at her through the mask.

"_I'll make it re-al, girl!"_

Cali began to back away from him, waving her arms in her defense.

"_What I mean, I'm not eighteen, so this queen thing's illegal."_

The stranger shook his head, his concealed burned body aching with each step he took towards her, his gloved hand favoring a gun hidden in his pant pocket.

"_I can bring whole cities to ruin,  
And still have time to get a soft-shoe in."_

Cali continued to back up.

"_Y'know that's great, but I'm late and I'd hate to delay her."_

The stranger got very curious at the mention of a 'her'. He decided to press her further, hoping for answers- answers that he _really_ wanted to hear.

"_Something's cooking, I'm at the griddle,  
I bought Nero his very first fiddle!"_

Cali decided to lie further. Thea had no idea she was hear, but this man didn't have to know that.

"_She'll get pissed if I'm missed, see my sister's a blader!"_

A dark grin appeared beneath the mask as the man asked, "A blader? By chance are you… related to Thea Valkov?"

Cali nodded, "Ya-huh."

The man turned to a hidden henchman that was standing in the shadows. "Go, find her. Tell her… tell her everything. Just get her here… and if you can get her brother too… that'd be a bonus. I wanna see those bladers burn." He walked away from Cali as another henchman grabbed Cali and hid her away.

The smile broadened as the man removed his mask revealing horrible burned skinned, to the point where some of the muscles and even part of the skull was visible around the black and peeling skin.

"_Now we're partying,  
That's what it's al-l about."_

* * *

"You have to go now, we have to find her!" Thea all but yelled at her Uncle.

"Thea calm down, we _will_ find her, but you seem to be forgetting something," Kai said, "I haven't beybattled in years. If anyone is going to get your sister back, it'll be you." He couldn't help but think about how strange she had been acting since she woke up from the coma she had received in South America, and that stupid promise he made her when she did wake up… when he promised he would never let something like that ever happen to her again because he would always be there to help her. And that he would help her without a second thought when she needed him… like now.

"I can't! I'm not strong enough by myself! I'll need back up. At least Dimitri," Thea continued to argue.

"You doubt your strength? Come on, you've been on a roll throughout the entire Irish tournament. I think you can handle this on your own."

"No I can't! You were one of the best, someone with that much skill can't possibly just lose it!"

"Thea… I want you to do some training while I try to locate where you saw her when she was taken," Kai ordered, while opening up the laptop he had with him, "maybe then you'll realize how much strength you really have."

"But-"

"Thea, do it!"

The young girl sighed fetching her shooter and Wolborg, "Fine… I'm ready."

Kai looked at her as she prepared to launch, shaking his head.

"_You're not ready for the world outside.  
You keep pretending, but you just can't hide.  
I know I said that I'd be standing by your side,  
But I…"_

It was obvious to him, Thea lost something when she awakened. He didn't know what it was, but it made her so… dependant on others. Like she could never do something on her own again.

"_Your path's unbeaten, and it's all uphill.  
And you can meet it, but you never will.  
And I'm the reason that you're standing still.  
But I…"_

He tried to focus on what he was searching for using satellite imaging, but he just couldn't. He kept watching Thea make stupid mistakes in her training and not caring like she used to.

"_I wish I could say the right words to lead you through this land,  
Wish I could play the father, and take you by the hand.  
Wish I could sta-y but now I understand  
I'm standing in the way."_

All those times he thought he was helping her and in truth all he was doing was making it worse, making her lose her skill because she thought she wouldn't need to fight as hard to keep her place. He had crippled her and made her lose focus- he didn't even know if she'd ever get back to her old self.

"_The cries around you, you don't hear at all.  
'Cause you know I'm here, to take that call.  
So you just lie there when you should be standing tall.  
But I…"_

He really did wish she didn't have to fight with her all; especially since the last time she did so she ended up in the hospital. He really didn't want to have to make another phone call to his sister, trying to explain why her daughter was, once again, in a hospital fighting for her life. It was the hardest call he ever had to make.

"_I wish I could lay your arms down, and let you rest at last.  
Wish I could slay your demons, but now that time has passed.  
Wish I could sta-y your stalwart standing-fast,  
But I'm standing in the way.  
I'm just standing in the way."_

His laptop made a strange noise signaling that it had found the very spot he had been looking for. "Thee," he beckoned to her, "you keep practicing, I'm going to see what I can find out in the town, see if anyone saw her when she disappeared."

Thea merely nodded and continued to practice up until she was sure her Uncle was out of sight, then she sank down onto to soft grass, hugging Skye to her. She really wished she could focus on Cali and rescuing her, but she just couldn't. Her mind was locked on Jayden.

He said he didn't hate her, yet he acted like he did. He told her he had feelings for her, even said that it was love, and yet he wanted nothing to do with her. It was all too confusing. Maybe it was just best if she really did give up on him.

And just as her thoughts got deeper about him, there he was... in the field just in front of Kerry, there he was. But he was not alone. He was with some Irish girl… and if she didn't know any better, she'd say he was flirting with her. It hurt to witness, but it was true.

'_So that's why he wants me to leave him alone, because he's already with that girl. That's fine, who needs him anyway.'_ That's what she told herself, and yet she couldn't deny one thing as she watched him.

"_I'm under your spell.  
God how can this be?  
Playing with my memory?  
You know I've been through hell,  
Jayden, don't you see? There'll be nothing left of me.  
You made me-"_

Kai continued on his path towards the street that Cali had been taken off of, but his thoughts trailed to Thea. He knew what he had to do.

"_Beli-eve. (Believe me I don't want to g-o)  
__**And it'll grieve me 'cause I love you s-o.  
But we both kn-ow."**_

Kai sighed, unknowingly singing with Thea.

"_Wish I could sa-y (Wish I could)  
The right words (Trust that it was)  
To lead you through this land (Just this once but I must do)  
Wish I could pl-ay (What I must, I can't)  
The father (Adjust to this)  
And take you by the hand (Disgust, we're done and I just)  
__**Wish I could sta-y  
Wish I could sta-y  
Wish I could sta-y  
Wish I could –stay.**__"_

Thea pressed her head into her hands, fighting back tears. Why was she so smitten with that jerk?

"Thea! There you are! I've been looking all over for you," Jayden said, racing up to her, "I think I may have found something on this weird singing. Apparently this strange man appeared just the other day and ever since then songs have just spontaneously started. What do you think? Hey… are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Thea lied, "it's just… my sister is missing."

"Oh, did you get a call from your mother or something?"

"No she's here… my Uncle is looking but-" Thea stopped and just shrugged.

Jayden nodded, taking a seat beside her, waiting –uncomfortably- for the chairman to come back. Luckily, it wasn't long before the chairman returned with Aya, Dimitri and Keith.

"We ran into him moments ago," Aya explained, "after we had run into a man who knew where Cali was and was all ready to… talk."

"He told us everything, where she is, what he's doing to her- everything," Keith added, "they're holding her in an old warehouse on the other side of town."

"So, now that we're all together, let's think up a plan and get her back," Dimitri said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Nobody messed with his sisters, _nobody_.

"No," Kai growled, "Thea's going alone."

"What!? You can't be serious! I already have one sister trapped there I don't want my other to-"

Kai shot him a glare that immediately shut the boy up.

"You're serious?" Jayden said with disbelief, when Kai nodded to confirm it, he turned to Thea with a smile, "never mind them, Thee, I got your back."

As touched as Thea was that at least one of them was standing behind her, she could not shake the scene she had just witnessed nor his previous words. "I thought you wanted me to stay away from you?" she asked rather coldly, "isn't that what you sang?"

"Aww... did Jayden swing a widdle song?" Dimitri asked mockingly, earning a small snicker from Aya and Keith.

Her words hit home, for Jayden flinched visibly at her tone. He recovered quick enough at Dimitri's teasing and hot him a cold glare as he retorted with a, "Fine, I hope you burn." His term may have been rough, it may not have been used literally, but she knew what he meant as he stormed off.

Thea's attention went to her friends and Uncle. "You're really not going to come?"

"It's all up to you, Thee," Kai nodded.

"What do you want me to do by myself?"

Kai gave her a small smile, "You're best." And with that, he ushered the rest of her team away.

Thea looked down at Skye, "Well, pup, it's just you and me." Skye let out a low woof, and both dog and master stared at her friends and family's retreating backs. She should be angry that they won't help her, shouldn't she?

"_I touch the fire and it freezes me.  
I look into it and it's black.  
Why can't I feel?  
My skin should crack and peel!  
I want the fire back!"_

Thea took a step forward, marching towards the town of Kerry and where her sister was being held. _Hang on, monkey, Skye and I are coming._

"_Now through the smoke she calls to me,  
To make my way across the flame.  
To save the day, or maybe melt away,  
I guess it's all the same!"_

Thea held her head proudly, her Wolborg blade firmly set in her clenched fist.

"_So I will walk through the fire,  
'Cause where else can I turn?  
I will walk through the fire, and let it-"_

Jayden had managed to make it up to his and Thea's room in record time and he now lay on his bed staring at the ceiling. Why was he so un-eased? She was just a girl, a girl like any other. He glanced over at _her_ empty bed. For all he cared, it could stay empty… and strangely, as soon as he thought that, a wave of regret hit him. What was he to do?

"_The torch I bear is scorching me,  
Thea's laughing I've no doubt.  
I hope she fries, I'm free if that bitch dies!"_

Jayden shook his head, forcing himself up from the bed and out the door.

"_I'd better help her out."_

The strange man smirked, staring out the window. Somewhere out there, Thea –and possibly her twin as well- was on her way over.

"'_Cause she is drawn to the fire.  
Some people (Jayden: She will)  
__**Never learn,  
And she will walk through the fire and let it.**__"_

Kai couldn't help but stop and wonder about what he had done, was it really the right thing, sending her off on her own to God knows what. And then there was Cali.

"_Will this do a thing to change her?  
Am I leaving Cal in danger?  
Is my blader too far gone to care?"_

Dimitri looked up to his Uncle, speaking exactly what he feared.

"_What if Thea can't defeat it?"_

Aya nodded, thrusting a finger towards Dimitri.

"_Beady Eyes is right, we're needed!  
Or we could just sit around and glare."_

Keith nodded, giving a silent agreement to go and help their friend. The turned towards the very direction that Thea was heading in and began their march.

**"**_**We'll see it through, it's what we're always here to do,  
So we will walk through the fire."**_

Thea paused, she could see the roof of the building ahead of her. She took a deep breath, glanced down at Skye, and scratched his head. She briefly stole a glance over her shoulder, as if she expected someone to be there and then forward again.

"_So one by one, they turn from me,  
I guess my friends can't face the cold."_

Keith looked towards where he knew Thea undoubtedly was.

"_What can't we face?"_

Thea thought bitterly about how her friends reacted to her awakening from the coma.

"_But why I froze, not one among them knows,"_

Keith sighed, hoping his friend was still okay.

"_If we're together."_

Thea now proceeded on her journey, signaling Skye forward again with a tap of her hand against her thigh.

"_And never can be told."_

Aya couldn't help but think of that fateful day. She didn't know if the others noticed, but she sure had. She had definitely noticed how much she had changed.

"_She came from the grave much graver."_

The strange man continued to gaze out his window, noticing that more than just Thea and Dimitri were coming to attempt to rescue the little girl.

"_So one by one, they come to me."_

Jayden kept his fist clenched as he kept a brisk pace towards the destination of all of his teammates, but his thoughts were only on one.

"_First he'll kill her, then I'll save her!"_

The strange man smiled darkly, letting his non-existent lips curl back.

"_The distant redness as their guide"_

Keith shook his head as he glanced upwards at the ominous dark sky.

"_Everything is turning out so dark."_

Thea kept up her pace, slowly getting closer to the building and her captive sister.

"_Going through the motions…"_

The man snickered.

"_But what they'll find…"_

Jayden shook his head as he let out a dark growl.

"_No I'll save her then _I'll_ kill her."_

The man turned away from the window, clutching his mask.

"_Ain't what they had in mind."_

Keith rolled his eyes as the music continued, and he could not help but think –as we know in musicals everyone sings what they think-

"_I think this line's mostly filler."_

A broad smirk stretched across the disfigured face of the man.

"_It's what they have inside."_

Kai had heard what Dimitri said about what the man planned to do with Cali, would that be enough to wake Thea from her slump?

"_What's it going to take to strike the spark?"_

Thea was getting closer and her heart began to pound. Whoever was holding her sister captive and was planning to do those sick things to her was going to pay.

"_These endless days are finally ending in a blaze!"_

The strange man put his mask back on, covering his abhorrent features and becoming the masked man once again.

"_She will come to m-e!"_

All of team BBA Guardians began to sing together, including the chairman of the BBA.

**"**_**And we are caught in the fire,  
The point of no return,  
So we will walk through the fire,  
And let it bu-rn!  
Let it bu-rn!  
Let it bu-r-n!  
Let it burn!"**_

Thea launched her Wolborg through the wooden door and rendered it into mere splinters.

The masked man chuckled darkly, "Showtime. I always loved a good entrance and you, my dear, are certainly talented in that department… just like your Mother."

"How do you know my Mother?" Thea demanded, "and where's my sister?"

"Now, now Thea, you can't tell me that you don't remember me," the man sneered.

Thea narrowed her eyes at the masked man, trying to figure out where she had heard his voice before. She recognized it, that was for sure, but she didn't know from where.

Skye, beside her, began to snarl uncontrollably, he could sense something was wrong with him.

"Maybe this will help jog your memory," the man said, lifting his mask off, "recognize me now, brat?"

Thea screamed at the sight; Skye began to bark uncontrollably, feinting a lunge towards him but not daring to fully leave his master's side. The younger twin knew only one man who could look like that. The Novae Inferno… what her mother and father did when she was barely five-years old. "You… you're Gil," gasped Thea.

Gil smiled at her, or at least he would have if he had the lips to. "After all this time, I will finally get my revenge."

"Why take it out on my little sister?" Thea asked once she had regained her composure, "I'm the reason you got incinerated, just kill me."

"No, Thea!" cried Cali.

"Only you? Won't you beg for your life? Isn't life a miraculous thing?" taunted Gil, taking a few steps towards Thea.

"I think you know what it is," she growled, not knowing that her family and friends, minus Jayden, had entered the building.

"_Life's a show, and we all play our pa-rts.  
And when the music sta-rts,  
We open up our hearts."_

Thea faked a happy smile as she sang- she didn't care as she taunted the world and life as we know it.

"_It's all right, if some thing's come out wr-ong,  
We'll sing a happy so-ng  
And you can sing along."_

She launched her Wolborg and signaled Skye forward; both dog and wolf bit beast readily attacked Gil's multiple henchmen.

"_Where there's life, -there's hope.  
Every day's -a gift.  
Wishes can -come true.  
Whistle while –you work.  
So hard. –All day."_

It was during her assault that she noticed the 'audience', but she paid them no mind as she continued her song.

"_Just t__o be like other gir-ls.  
To fit in, in this glittering wor-ld  
Don't give me so-ngs.  
Don't give me so-ngs."_

She rounded on Gil, keeping a firm distance between the two of them but still close enough to make her point.

"_Give me something to sing about!  
I need something to sing about!"_

She tried to stop herself now, but the song did not cease and she could not stop until it did.

"_Life's a song you don't get to rehea-rse.  
And every single ver-se  
Can make it that much worse."_

She cast an almost pained look towards Aya, Keith, and Dimitri.

"_Still my friends don't know why I igno-re  
The million things or mo-re  
I should be dancing for."_

In her frustration she willed her blade to attack Gil while Skye focused on the rest of the henchmen.

"_All the joy –life sends.  
Family –and friends.  
All the twists –and bends.  
Knowing that –it ends.  
Well, that –depends."_

Every attack, Gil somehow avoided and it only led to further frustrate her.

"_On if they let you g-o.  
On if they know enough to kn-ow  
That when you've bowed  
You leave the crowd."_

Thea sighed, she looked towards her friends; if she couldn't stop singing she might as well tell her friends what this was all about. When she was in that coma, she felt like she had died and gone to heaven. It was paradise, and it felt like she was back as an infant in her parents secure, safe, and warm arms. She hadn't wanted to leave.

"_There was no pain, no fear no doubt,  
'Til they pulled me out of Heaven.  
So that's my refrain.  
I live in hell, 'cause I've been expelled from Heaven.  
I think I was in Heaven."_

She felt on the verge of tears, something she hadn't felt in a while… not since before the accident. She turned back towards Gil, oblivious to Jayden's arrival- or his arrival some five minutes earlier.

"_So give me something to sing about!  
Please, give me something!"_

She squeezed her eyes shut, setting Wolborg on Gil again, hoping to stop him like her parents did some seven or eight years earlier. However, just as she was about to get him with her Wolborg, a certain someone's green blade and rock Velociraptor sent the white blade flying.

All eyes went to the black haired boy who was walking towards the red haired girl. His eyes were dark and his lips set in a firm line.

"_Life's not a song.  
Life isn't bliss, life is just this, it's living.  
You'll get along,  
The pain that you feel, you only can heal by living.  
You have to go on living.  
So one of us is living."_

Thea turned her eyes away from him and forced herself to utter the words, "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it."

Silence rang through the building and then, a steady clap echoed up wards through the old, run down warehouse. And there was Gil, with his gloved hands, giving Thea and Jayden a round of applause. With a dark laugh he said, "Now _that_ was a show stopping number."

"Go to hell," Dimitri snarled, "it's all your fault this happened."

"Now why would you say that? It wasn't my fault, it was her," Gil grinned, looking at Thea, "I just wanted to make her suffer for it. All her pent up emotions, her feelings that no one understood- heh, they were what summoned me here, and now that you all know, there's no reason for me to stay here any longer.

_What a lot of fun, you guys have been real –swell,  
And there's not a one, who can say this ended well.  
All those secrets you've been concealing  
Say you're happy now, once more with feeling!  
Now I gotta run, see you all in Hell…"_

In a blast of fire and smoke, the man that had once tortured both Thea and Dimitri disappeared. Seven people and one dog were left to stare at a singe mark on the floor –they were alone, even the henchmen were gone.

Cali got up from her spot on the floor where she had been watched and kept hostage by two henchmen. She walked towards Thea and tugged gently on her pant-leg to get her attention.

"_Where do we go from here?"_

Jayden and Thea looked at one another –Thea suddenly feeling released from her previous emotions, no longer feeling as if she had lost everything. But still, after what she had seen and heard from him, she still had to wonder.

Jayden was just as confused as she was. Had he picked up the wrong vibe from her –sure he made a big mistake with what he had sang to her, but that shouldn't have deterred her… or did it?

Staring at each other, they couldn't help but sing together the exact same question.

**"**_**Where do we go from here?"**_

Kai looked up at the ceiling, at least Cali was safe and he wouldn't ever have to call his sister about something that he couldn't stop. But he still wondered if Thea was back to her old self.

"_The battle's done, and we kind of won,"_

Keith stepped forward with a broad grin as he clapped his best friend on the shoulder while joining in with the chairman.

**"**_**So we sound our victory che-er.  
Where do we go from here?"**_

Dimitri looked over at his sister in confusion. He thought she was happy, that he had her back again… and then… there was Aya. Why was this… feeling so confusing? Why couldn't they just let it go?

Thea sighed, looking over at her brother; she understood what he felt and not just because they were twins. She had faked so many things just to make him think he had her back- if he had known it would have broken him. And what about Jayden? What did that girl mean to him? What did _she_ mean to him?

She walked towards her brother, shrugging uneasily as he wrapped her in a forgiving hug.

"I know Thee," Dimitri said, "I know exactly how you feel."

**"**_**Why is the path unclear?  
When we know home is near."**_

There was a nod from each of the teammates as they grabbed each other's hands.

**"**_**Understand we'll go hand-in-hand,"**_

And then released them, to stumble away from each other- delving into their own thoughts.

**"**_**But we'll walk alone in fear."**_

Kai raised his voice above that of the children –he may hate the fact that that bastard was still making him sing, but he long since learned it was hopeless to fight it.

"_Tell me."_

And much to his displeasure, his nieces and nephew… and their team looked at him with a laugh as they continued.

**"**_**Where do we go from here?"**_

Kai shook his head slowly, praying for this torture to end, apparently –though- he wasn't the only one.

**"**_**When does the end appear?"**_

Jayden rolled his eyes, finally able to get a hold of his singing. "Tsch, screw this," he growled, turning and leaving the old building.

His exit did not go unnoticed; silver-grey eyes followed his retreat. Thea, finally letting her curiosity get the better of her, followed him as her friends and companions continued to sing.

**"**_**When do the trumpets cheer?  
The curtains close on a kiss, God knows  
We can tell the end is ne-ar…"**_

"Jayden, wait up!" Thea called, catching up to him with Skye hot on her heels.

"Look, why don't you go back inside, finish the stupid song and leave me alone," he suggested, letting his coldness take over. Women brought nothing but coldness to him.

"Is that what you really want?" asked Thea, "to be left alone? Or is it that you just want to be alone with your new girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend? What are you talking about?" demanded Jayden.

"That girl you were flirting with… the Irish chick before you came running up to me… before my uncle, Dimka, Keith, and Aya told us about Cali's whereabouts that-"

"Her? You think she's my-? No, no she's not… she's nothing to me."

"Sure didn't look like it."

"You often told me… when girls approached me, that I should stop being so cold and make them feel insignificant, that I should try to be nicer when telling them I'm not interested," he explained.

"And you actually did what I told you?" she asked in disbelief.

"Is that so hard to believe!?" His words came out much harsher than he had intended but they succeeded in silencing her, at least for a little while.

However, Thea wasn't to be deterred from her objective, so she went back to a form of her earlier question. "So, what do you want?"

"It's not about what _I_ want, Thee, I think that was already established."

Thea gave him an alarmed look, taking a step towards him, further shrinking the gap between them. "Jayden…"

"Just don't, I don't-"

The younger of the Valkov twins silenced him with her own voice. The impulsive singing had returned to the two.

"_I touch the fire and it freezes me."_

Jayden shook his head as if he was trying to defend why they shouldn't, yet also trying to explain why they should.

"_I died."_

Thea smiled gently at him –signaling that she didn't care. And with that one smile, their emotions took flight, together in song.

"_I look into it and it's black. (So many years ago.)  
This isn't real,  
But I just need to feel. (But you can make me feel.)"_

Jayden, for the second time that night, exclaimed, "Ah, screw it!" And pulled Thea much closer to him than either was used to. Acting on pure animalistic instinct, he did the only thing that seemed to make sense at that moment, and that was kissing her.

Them being only twelve/thirteen, it was nothing above the PG rating… but that did not mean it wasn't passionate. And from the buildings interior and above Skye's excited barking, they heard their comrades sing:

**"**_**Where do we go from here?"**_

* * *

A blinding white light met Thea as she opened her groggy eyes for the first time since the accident and emitted a small groan. That one sound –like the mating call of another animal or even the distress call of a wounded to a predator- attracted six people to her bed; six _very _familiar people to her bed.

"Wh-where am I?" she asked. Did she black-out after the kiss? This didn't look like the hotel room in Kerry… her Uncle –or Graham- probably just over-reacted and took her to a hospital.

"You've been out for days mate," Keith said, "you're in the hospital in Buenos Aires, we weren't sure if you were going to wake up in time for the Ireland tournament, but we're glad you did."

Aya smack Keith on the arm. "What he means is, even if we had to miss the tournament, we're glad you're okay."

So… she wasn't in Kerry?

"You okay, sis?" Dimitri's worried voice came, "you don't look too good."

"Oh! I know what'll make you feel better!" Aya said, clapping her hands together, "once you're out of here we'll have a musical night! You know, a night where we'll watch a musical or two. Dimitri said you love musicals."

However, at the word 'musical' a sound that can only be a loud "NO!" emitted from Thea's pale lips, causing her comrades, Uncle, and coach to give her an odd look.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I'm just… not feeling a hundred percent… and I should probably focus on my shooting once I get out of here; maybe another time, Aya."

"Yeah, sure," Aya nodded.

"Alright, let's let Thea get some rest," Graham said, moving towards the door, "the sooner she gets out of here the sooner we are on our way to Ireland!"

Thea didn't know if it was because of how he said it, or if it was the ecstatic pumping of the arm that set her Uncle off, but –without a doubt- that was the coldest glare she had ever seen her Uncle give anyone.

_I guess that means our kiss didn't really happen either,_ Thea thought sadly. It would have been nice if she and Jayden had gotten close like that, mostly because then he may start taking her seriously and stop calling her a loser.

There was the sound of a throat being cleared and Thea couldn't help but feel awkward as she discovered it to have been her partner: Jayden. "Oh! Um… hi," she smiled, feeling like a complete idiot.

Jayden merely nodded, looking quite awkward himself.

"Was there… something you needed?" she asked, wondering why he had stayed behind.

"Uh… yeah…" he muttered. "Look, I don't know what it was you were thinking, but if you winning a match gets you in the hospital than you should just forget beyblading. It's only holding us back."

Although Thea could see that was not what he really wanted to say, it still got her riled up. "Well, _excuse _me for trying to get us to the Ireland tournament! Wait… does that mean… I won the match?"

Jayden pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose, letting out a heavy sigh. There was a small nod from him before he said, "Just… don't let it happen again."

Thea blinked at him, had he been worried about her? Well, they were partners in this tag-team tournament… maybe their pairing was actually having a positive affect on the 'Ice-King'. _Granted, it's not much, but at least it's something._

"Alright… I'll try to be more careful when shooting," she promised.

"Good… now get some sleep, I don't need to be slowed down even further by my partner fainting," he grumbled turning away.

Although she wanted to –really wanted to- she did not take the bait for an obvious attempt to get her riled up again. Instead, she found herself thinking of one of the songs in her dream. Subconsciously, she began to hum it and right as the subject of her affection opened the door and was about to leave, four words left her mouth.

"_I'm under your spell."_

_

* * *

_

blackamber- I'm sure you noticed that the gang wasn't in any opening note in this chapter... that was because they were all getting ready for the chapter. I also forgot to disclaim beyblade. Anywho, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it was really fun to write. Once again, I promise I am working on the next real chapter. Peace!

... and R&R


	6. Welcome To Buenos Aires

blackamber- I am back with a all new chapter!

Thea- FINALLY!

Dimitiri- We were growing old here!

blackamber- sorry! University is a pain and I had a lot of reading and papers to write. Anywho, I hoped you all enjoyed the little filler chapter and I promise I am going to try to update more frequently.

* * *

"Welcome, everyone, to sunny Buenos Aires Argentina, the first location for the tournament!"

Dimitri clutched Skye's leash tightly as he, Keith, Thea, Aya, Jayden, and Graham made their way through the airport. He was happy to be on the ground again and apparently Skye was just as happy, bounding excitedly along beside him. Behind him he could hear Thea and Aya chatting it up about whatever interested girls and even further behind was Keith trying to strike a conversation with the human ice-cube Jayden.

Dimitri rolled his eyes at the blonde, thinking that the boy should know by now how pointless it was to try and get Jayden to talk to them.

"So what's your favorite movie?" Aya asked energetically, loving the fact that she now had a best girl friend to have girl-talk with.

"Definitely The Prestige," came Thea's response, "I mean, Christian Bale _and_ Hugh Jackman in the same movie." She mimicked the action of fanning herself as Aya giggled in slight agreement.

"They are both very good-looking men, but I'd go for Brad Pitt in Troy, can you spell dreamy?" Aya questioned with a cheeky smile.

"Oh? I thought we were going for hot men _and_ good story," teased Thea, "if I had known we were just looking at hot men I would have gone for Troy as well."

"Oh, hahaha," Aya said sarcastically.

In front of them, Dimitri pretended to gag. _Girls…_ he thought, rolling his eyes. "Best movie ever created was Snatch," he decided to join in on the conversation, "that is pure humor that is."

"Oh, I'm with you there mate," Keith called up, "nothing beats British humor, I mean prime example of good humor, Monty Python."

It was now time for the girls to roll their eyes, it was typical of boys to choose such mediocre movies. (A/N: I have nothing against these movies, in fact I love Snatch… but I don't particularly like Troy so what Thea said about it is generally how I feel)

"What about you, Jay?" Aya asked, "what's your favorite movie?"

Jayden glanced at her, narrowed his eyes, and then looked away.

"I think that's just about the only answer you are going to get from him, mate," Keith shrugged almost apologetically.

"I pity you, Thee… you're stuck with him until the end of the tournament." Aya glanced warily down at her free hand, examining her nails.

"I think I can manage… if not I'll make him more agreeable," Thea smirked, readjusting her bag on her shoulder.

Aya smiled as the team bus came into view. "So… what's your favorite show?"

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer," responded Thea automatically, "before you say anything, Spike is ten-times better looking than Angel."

"Are you kidding!? Angel is the epitome of a beautiful man!"

"Hello! Spike has a sexy British accent and is as bad ass as they come," countered Thea, climbing into the bus after her brother and dog.

"Can we please not judge the caliber of a show by the guys on it but actually by the talent," begged Dimitri, getting very tired of the girl-talk.

"Buffy would be a good show even without Spike and Beautiful Man," responded Aya stealing a window seat.

"Amen to that."

Dimitri rolled his eyes, "Give me a break, Heroes can whip Buffy's ass any day."

"Heroes?" Keith barked in laughter, "try Supernatural! Now _that_ is a good show."

"No way man, Heroes is the bomb!"

"Why am I surrounded by such idiots," grumbled Jayden sitting down as far away from the rest of the team as possible.

"Just answer a question Jayden," begged Thea, "and then we'll leave you alone."

Jayden sighed, "Fine." He rolled his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest, deciding it was easier to humor his team-mates than ignore them.

"Favorite movie and TV show?" asked Thea.

"That's two questions," countered Jayden, getting ready to say something about her intelligence when she interrupted him with a-

"Just answer the question."

He sighed again, "Indiana Jones and CSI."

"Which ones?" Aya asked.

"CSI: Los Vegas and Last Crusade."

"Aww, really? Raiders of the Lost Ark is _soo _much better," Thea stated.

Jayden snorted, "Please, Last Crusade was the greatest Indiana Jones movie ever created."

"Not even! Raiders of the Lost Ark has a great story line to it, unforgettable scenes _and_ a tolerable female actress. You don't see people borrowing ideas from Last Crusade now do you?"

"If you haven't noticed, the scenes borrowed from Raiders of the Lost Ark are all used in spoofs, Last Crusade is just too good to be made into a spoof."

"Or not good enough." Thea let an arrogant smirk on her face, thinking she had finally won-up on Jayden.

"Anything with Sean Connery automatically becomes an unbeatable classic."

At those words, Keith and Dimitri broke down in laughter, with Keith adding a, "He's got you there mate."

Thea was dumbstruck, continuously opening and closing her mouth.

"You know, loser, you look like a fish when you do that."

Oh how Thea wanted to just punch that boy's head in whenever he wore that stupid smirk on his face.

"Never mind him Thee," Aya said, patting her shoulder sympathetically, as the van started up. "Now, the most important question of all, what is your favorite musical?" Aya had an idea of what she would say, either Phantom of the Opera, the movie, for Gerard Butler, or RENT for Adam Pascal; it was obvious where the girl's minds were.

"Definitely Wicked," came Thea's response, "the songs were catchy and well thought out and the story absolutely incredible!"

That response caught Aya off-guard; there was no mention of good-looking men anywhere.

"What about you?" Thea asked, staring out her window at the passing streets.

"Oh… um," Aya struggled, trying to find a musical she liked that didn't involve a cute male actor being the reason, "I like Hairspray."

"That one was good too, once again catchy songs and good story," Thea beamed at her friend.

"If there's one thing in this world that Thea takes serious, aside from Beyblading, it's Musicals," Dimitri stated, not understanding his sister's love of them.

Throughout the entire ride to the hotel, Thea and Aya kept asking each other questions, like favorite bands, favorite celebrities, favorite foods etc. By the end of it, Jayden was not the only one grateful when the bus rolled to a stop outside of the hotel.

Going up to their rooms, they discovered them to be a horrid pale pink with simple checkered sheets. Jayden claimed the bed closest to the window, which Thea didn't mind for it meant that she was closest to the bathroom, giving her first dips on the shower in the morning.

Buenos Aires turned out to be much hotter than what Thea had originally thought and the sweater she had been wearing suddenly seemed like a bad idea. Turning her back to Jayden, she slowly lifted it off, the back of her shirt lifting slightly with it.

It didn't lift a lot, but enough for Jayden to see the pink scars that seemed to cover every inch of her back and although he would not say anything, he couldn't help but stare. He turned his attention away as the shirt fell back into place, covering the scars and Thea moved fully onto the bed, not bothering with making conversation with him.

She knew better; he wouldn't talk to her unless it was to berate her. A knock came to their hotel room, and Thea jumped up to answer it… only to be tackled by her brother as soon as the door was open.

"Come on sis! Grab your swimsuit! We're going swimming!" he chirped, Skye jumping and barking excitedly beside the two.

"What?" Thea blinked.

"Well, the tournament doesn't start till tomorrow and Uncle's already registered us so we have a free day! Graham found this map to a swimming hole; it'll be just like when Mom and Dad went swimming in Australia!" Dimitri cheered, clearly excited by the idea of swimming outdoors.

"Jayden, are you going to come?" Thea asked, after sharing a moment of excitement with her brother and looking at the dark haired, older boy.

Jayden snorted and Thea was sure he was going to say "no" and then add something like "loser" after it. "I guess, it's not like I have anything better to do," was his actual response, which caught both twins off-guard. Their comebacks for the expected insult died in their throats.

"Great! Meet us out front!" Dimitri yelled, bounding out of the room with Skye.

Jayden watched him go curiously, wondering if he too carried scars on his back. That, he told himself, was the reason he wanted to go swimming, just to see. He was curious about the scars, and it was too weird to ask Thea about them, but if Dimitri had them too, maybe it would be easier.

* * *

Aya and Thea wadded happily in the water, enjoying the cool, crystal water as it washed over them. Dimitri pulled off his shirt, getting ready to dive in when Keith prevented him.

"Woah, mate! What happened to you?" he asked, loudly.

"Huh?" Dimitri cocked his head to the side, much like Skye would when he was confused.

"Your back," Jayden stated coldly, seeing that he, too, had scars like Thea.

Dimitri blinked at them, still not quite getting it.

"He means your scars, Dimka," Thea said, standing up in the pool of water, "I've got them too, see."

"Wow!" Keith whistled, "who could do such a horrid thing to such a lovely back, it's inhumane, that's what it is!"

"You got that right," Dimitri said, "I've had these for so long, I kinda forgot about them."

"So what happened, your parents beat you?" Jayden asked snarkily, hoping he had hit home.

"God no, what sick person would beat their children," Thea said aghast at the very thought, "Dimka and I were kidnapped when we were little. The people who kidnapped us did this to us."

"Why?" Aya asked, feeling sorry for the twins, and blushing slightly at Dimitri's shirtless state. His looks certainly came from the Hiwatari side.

"Well, from what I understand, one of the kidnappers wanted us to Beyblade for him, the other wanted to hurt us because of something that happened with our Mom. She wouldn't tell us what it was, but our Dad said those people really hurt her. You should see of the scars she has; there's this one really cool one on her temple and the really thin one that travels from her forehead down behind her ear. It's so cool!" Dimitri exclaimed.

"I don't think it's cool," muttered Thea, "I think it must have really hurt to have that happen to her." Thea hated the thought of any pain coming to her mother; she was so kind and caring- to think that anyone would want to willingly hurt her seemed unfathomable.

"Well, yeah… I mean I would never _want_ her to go through it… but you have to admit the scars look cool," Dimitri said sheepishly.

Thea shook her head at her brother and felt a small pang of homesickness. All this talk of their mother made her really miss her. "Hey, Dimka, what do you suppose Mom and Dad are up to?" she asked.

"Oh, I think we both know what _they're_ up to," Dimitri responded, laughing and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Thea couldn't help but laugh, "Dimka!"

"What it's true!" Dimitri shrugged diving into the water.

"I don't get it…" Aya muttered.

"Neither do I," Keith admitted, slipping into the water.

"Idiots," said Jayden.

* * *

"Good afternoon Beyblade fans! Here we are in beautiful, sunny Buenos Aires ready to kick off the Beyblading World Championships, but first let's take a look at the teams!"

"There are good number of local teams from Buenos Aires, Brad, starting with the Tigre, the Loba, and the reigning champions the Glaciar Huelga."

"We also have teams from other parts of the world, starting with the BBA's new team, the BBA Guardians!"

"The PPB All Starz have also returned with a new team and are in for this match."

"You don't think we'll Auntie Courtney or Uncle Max or Rick do you?" Thea whispered to Dimitri.

"Don't know, I don't think Mom said who the new coach of the PPB All Starz was, " Dimitri whispered back.

"What are you whispering about?" Aya asked, in a hushed voice.

"Why are you even whispering? It's not like any can hear you over the noise!" Keith yelled.

"He makes a good point," Dimtri said, talking normally.

"To start off the tournament we'll be pinning the BBA Guardians against the Tigre team!" DJ Daichi yelled into the microphone.

"I guess that's out cue," Dimitri sighed, getting up out of his seat and following Jayden and his sister to the lower part of the stadium.

"Today's dish will be the Waterfalls of Iguazú River; this miniature model of the 19 larger waterfalls that reside along the treacherous river. Bladers have to be careful about falling into that swift moving current and those long drops."

"Stepping up to plate from the BBA Guardians is Thea Valkov and her bit beast Wolborg, she may not look it, but this young girl packs quite the punch with her Novae Rog attack."

"If you think Thea's tough brad, wait till you get a look at her opponent Amoldo."

It was weird for Thea to not hear a bit beast's name following the announcement of her opponent; she had never, competitively, face against a blader without one before. Sure, for fun in the parks there were a few she had fought against that didn't have a bit beast, but out here in the World Championships, she had never imagined someone to get so far without one.

'_He must be really good then,_' she thought, readying Wolborg in his launcher.

"Shooters are you ready!?" Daichi asked the age old question. A short nod passed between Thea and her opponent. "Three… two… one…"

"LET IT RIIIPP!"

* * *

blackamber- well there you have it! I just got back and already I put in a cliffie

Aya- You are notorious for those

blackamber- indeed I am

Keith- R&R!!!


End file.
